Vanderkitten -Virginia Beach

Final Chapter - Vanderkitten Virginia Beach

2011-12-19T19:01:00.000-08:00

It’s been fun. We’ve had some great results. 30 plus women came together almost 3 years ago to start something new. Everyone bought a great kit. Some loved cats, others loved dogs. Some riders became racers. Some racers became riders. The team became social. Over time everyone got comfortable doing what they wanted to do. It’s time for some to move on and others to step aside. It was a great ride.

BJ aka Podium Cat

FALLON CX RACE

2011-10-23T17:34:00.000-07:00

Karen traveled to Roanoke and represented the kittens on Saturday for the Freakout at Fallon Cx race. This was the first year it was part of the VACX series and it did not disappoint. The course was tough with mud pits, rocky sections, off camber turns, and steep climbs. Karen participated in the Cat 4 race, was a bit scared of the course, and finished 7th (out of 7). Not happy with her last place finish, she entered the 40 + race. With her comfort level higher, and prize money at stake, she did much better with a second place finish. This race was fun with lots of swag, prizes, free chili. Many thanks to Starlight Bicycles, Dire Wolf Racing, and Roanoke Parks and Rec for putting on such a great event.

CROSS TIME!!

2011-10-03T08:34:00.000-07:00

Keeping it local, Karen represented the kittens by participating in Chesapeake's Frogs On The Farm cx race, the first race of the VACX series. The conditions were perfect with little mud, sunny skies, and cool temperatures. The course had a couple ditches, some logs, and two sets of barriers. Karen rode her mtn bike in the Cat 4 Women's race and was very surprised and happy with the results. 5th out of 11. She may just show up at some more cx races this season.

Jen and Brittany also raced this past Sunday in the Winchester AppleCross, which is race #2 in the MABRAcross Super 8. The course featured an asphalt start and finish, two steep hills: the Belgian Wall and the Cemetery Slog, varying technical turns and several off camber sections. Important things to note for the day: fire pits, bicycles, cool peeps, coffee, and NO RAIN equal good times.

Stay tuned- next race on the docket is the Richmond Festival of Cross!

Gettin’ Rowdy at the Ruckus

2011-09-14T12:23:00.000-07:00

Brittany, Jen, and Karen took part in the last race of Virginia’s road season Saturday at the Residential Ruckus, presented by the Hilton Cycling Club. The course featured a flat, fast, 0.9 mile loop, with four 90-degree turns and a long sweeping turn into a straightaway to the start/finish. Though Saturday featured a smaller women’s field than previous VA races, the weather was perfect, course was silky smooth, and the girls were ready to finish up the season in style.

Jen led the pack at a steady pace for the first lap before dropping back. A couple laps later, she made a break off the front, with Marci Hill, from Hilton Cycling, going for a solo chase. The pack picked up the pace in a successful effort to reel Marci back in, but couldn't chase down Jen. A few laps later, Brittany made a break attempt of her own and was able to bridge the gap up to Jen. After several laps of steady rotations, Jen and Brittany were able lap the main field and end the day with a 1,2 finish. Karen, who stayed with the main group throughout the race, finished 3^rd for the CAT 4’s.

Vanderkitten would like to give a special thanks to Joe Altomare from Hilton Cycling Club for putting on a great event, the Fat Frogs for letting us sit under their tent, and the Manderkittens for giving us great support throughout the season.

With road season officially over for these cats, let’s bring on some cyclocross!

Shenandoah Valley Century

After Saturday's crit, BJ and Karen headed to the mountains and rode the Shenandoah Valley Century. There was a large group of cyclists from the Hampton Roads area that participated in this ride, including a big group from Tripower Cycling Team. The weather was purrrfect with chilly temps in the morning that warmed up throughout the day. The kittens climbed close to 5000 feet and enjoyed the beautiful day on their bikes. After the ride, cyclists were treated to paninis, door prizes, and massages.

DR100

This weekend is the DR100 Ride that is also in the Harrisonburg area. This event consists of a 50K or 100K ride, and a 5K or 10K run. It is in honor of Frauke's husband Joe Mirenda, who was tragically hit by a car while riding from Wintergreen Resort to JMU to visit his son in 2009. The money raised goes towards expanding bike/pedestrian lanes on public roads and other similar programs.

http://dr100.org/

Tour of Page County

2011-08-08T19:44:00.000-07:00

Cloudy with little chance of pie: Page Valley Road Race

The Page Valley road race proved once again to be a tough test for mountain-loving kittens. With overcast skies and slightly cooler temperatures than years past, Jen and Brittany lined up for the Women’s 1/2/3 race with a small but fierce field. Attacks started as soon as the pavement turned upward with the charge led by Rachel (Missing Link Coaching Systems/Specialized). The field split immediately with Jen and Brittany caught behind slower climbers. Brittany was able to bridge Jen back to the lead group on the descent, but this was the last they saw each other until the finish line. Jen worked with a small group to chase on and off of the 5 leaders for the remainder of the race. On the third lap, the motor referee indicated that bad weather was moving over the ridge and the women’s race was ending on this lap! On the final left turn to the finish line, Sara (ABRT) made a well-timed move that got a gap over the chase group and sling-slot Jen into 6th place. This was fortuitous because Jen got a front row seat to Brittany’s finish – 3rd place for the cat 3 women.

Sunday’s Luray Crit

With Jen having headed back to the ‘Peake earlier in the morning, I had plans of finishing up the weekend at the downtown Luray Crit. This course consisted of a 0.8 mile loop featuring eight 90-degree turns and a steep short climb to the finish, where there was a feed zone! Though greatly welcomed (another mid-ninety temp weekend), never before had I seen a feed zone at a crit until Sunday. As soon as the whistle blew initiating the start of the Women’s 1/2/3 pack, it was serious go time. After an immediate left turn up a false flat, the pack took a fast descent down the back side of the course, vying for positions, eager to make their way to the hill climb. After my second trip up the hill, my legs said “No more!” and I dropped off the pack to time trial my way through the rest of the race. I was, however, able to witness the amazing first place finish of Kathleen Giles (ABRT), who had broken away from the pack, with several laps to go.

Vanderkitten Racing extends a biggie thanks to Chris Gould, Page Valley Cycling, WWVC Racing, and Syn-Fit Race Team for a great weekend! Next up, Vanderkitten will be racing the Chesapeake Criterium and Peter Teeuwen Memorial time trial.

Tri'd & Succeeded

2011-08-03T07:17:00.000-07:00

One Kitten tried to get smart and beat the heat by doing a Triathlon. Unfortunately there has been no escaping this heat. Roberta headed down this past weekend to North Carolina for an FS Sprint Triathlon in Washington, NC. The participants had to be set up and out of the transition area by 6:30am and at that time it was already 83 degrees and the water temp was 86….a bit like bath water in our opinion. With the heat already a known factor, Roberta made sure she was well hydrated. The swim in the Pamlico River went well after being pulled, slapped, and swam over; these participants we merciless in the water. All Roberta kept thinking was “your swimming to your bike” , “swim to your bike”. Once the swim was over and a quick transition she was off for a rocket bike ride. The 15 mile ride was mostly flat with a few hills. She finished the bike with a time of 34:06: the fastest women’s time in the sprint. Her legs felt great as she started the transition to running. The run was very hot. No shade and all pavement. It was brutal. After crossing the finish line with a time of 1:20:25 she headed straight for the water to cool off. When all was said and done she walked away with first place in her age group.

Lost River Classic

2011-07-25T17:15:00.001-07:00

In an attempt to escape the heat wave over the east coast, Jen headed toward the mountains of West Virginia for Lost River Classic this past weekend. The 31 mile road race for the women’s field (roughly three 10 mile loops) proved to be well-suited to her love for climbing. The women’s field enjoyed rolling through narrow mountain roads until Laurel (Syn-Fit) launched an attack that shredded the field. Despite valiant attempts to match Laurel’s climbing prowess, the race settled into 4 leaders, a chase group of 4 riders, and a series of individual finishers behind. Jen helped power the chase group and happily finished 7th overall. Vanderkitten extends a big congrats to Mary of Team Traveler for the overall win!

Jen spent the remainder of the afternoon attending to friends in the men’s cat 3 field, who simply melted as they crossed the finish line with the heat index approaching triple digits. This was a great race thanks to NCVC and Raw Talent Ranch.

Next up, Vanderkitten VB will be racing Presbyterian Hospital Invitational in Charlotte, NC and Tour of Page Co. in Luray, VA.

Photo courtesy of David Cobb/Team Traveler

Franklin Omnium

2011-07-19T13:53:00.000-07:00

The kittens were wide awake early Saturday AM to make the journey to Franklin, Virginia for the first ever Franklin Omnium. The Vanderkittens were honored to be asked to share the event with Celerity, a very classy group of racers. Humid weather gave way to beautiful blue skies for the whole weekend.

It’s not often to find a nice short time trial course in a town with very little traffic. The Franklin police officers, as well as the residents, seemed to be very happy to have us in their town. For the time trial, VK had Ali, Laura, Brittany and Jen representing in the CAT 1/2/3 category. The outcome of that race was Ali taking the gold, Laura taking the bronze, Brittany in 4th and Jen in 5th. Representing VK in the CAT 4/40 plus was BJ, Karen, Suszann and Lisa. BJ brought home the gold, Karen the silver, Suszann bringing home bar points in 9th and Lisa doing the same in 10th place.

After a quick cat nap and some good grub at Fred’s Restaurant, we got ready for some exciting action for a very technical crit course. BJ was probably the happiest of all because photo opportunities were abundant with great shots being taken from every corner. The CAT 4/40 plus women consisted of BJ, Karen and Suszann. Action took place immediately when BJ took off to make sure she got through the first turn without company. That worked for a few laps but unfortunately she came up on a rider down who had clipped her pedal and BJ did one of her very graceful head over heels maneuvers. Saved by her helmet and a pit crew to get her back in the race, she was able to finish in 3rd place. Karen was right behind in 5th and Suszann placing in 6th. The Cat 1/2/3 race was very exciting and much safer. In the end, it was Ali sprinting to the finish against Erin and Emily (VA Asset Group) where Ali pulled off a 2nd. Close behind was Jen in 4th, Laura in 7th and Brittany in 8th.

Sunday morning was just another beautiful day to do a race. 14 miles of quiet with a few rollers was a perfect way to end the weekend with a nice road race around town. The Cat 4/40 plus took off at 8:00 for 2 laps. The field stayed together for the first lap but the pace picked up quickly on the next lap. A few attempts were made but nothing really stuck other than the field thinning out for the final sprint. Karen, in an out of body experience, took the win at the end with BJ taking 4th. Everyone stayed upright when a motorcycle went down near the finish. Our CAT 1/2/3 racers went late in the day. Laurel and Emily (Va Asset Group) took off and were never seen again to take the top 2 spots. Ali came in 4th, Jen 5th, Brittany 6th and Laura 8th. When all was said and done, Ali captured 2nd place in the CAT 1/2/3 Omnium. In the CAT 4/40 plus BJ took home some loot with 1st in the omnium in that category and Karen took home the 2nd coveted spot.

We all want to thank Celerity for a great weekend. They did an outstanding job for their first annual event. We also want to thank Donna for being a race official and a big shout out to Wendie and Maggie for driving all the way to Franklin to help out with volunteering.

Coffee Talk with the Vanderkittens

2011-07-15T04:27:00.000-07:00

We were just featured in the GamJams Coffee Talk column. Read it at the link below:

http://www.gamjams.net/2011/07/coffee-talk-with-vanderkittens.html

Gus is now one of our Manderkittens, with his own limited edition T-shirt!

Podium Cat

7th Race, 7th Place

2011-07-11T09:19:00.000-07:00

Headed up to West Chester, PA over the weekend to do my first evening race at the 7^th Annual Iron Hill Twilight Crit. It was a 6:45 p.m. start for this 4 corner, .8 mile rectangular course on the streets of downtown. Prime forecast and an atmosphere that was pretty happening thanks to lots of spectators and a brewery as the primary sponsor.

The start seemed standard with everyone trying to get a feel for whom to watch. Not surprisingly, Kacey Manderfield (Pure Energy) & Erica Allar (Ride Clean) were top on the list. To avoid any potential accidents or slow ups going into the third corner (the only slight downhill turn where speed and momentum would come into play), I worked to stay toward the front of the field.

Several nice primes helped to keep the pace up and eventually led to a break when Manderfield and Allar sprinted for one and got a gap. What was initially 12 seconds increased with each following lap as attempts were made to close it down but no one seemed committed to the effort, including myself. Once it was evident that we weren’t working as a group to make it happen, it then became a matter of holding position as the pace was pushed off and on with different riders launching off the field to try for a second split.

Going into the last lap the pace picked up and into that 3^rd turn, the sprint was on. One racer crashed on the right side but was okay and no one else was involved from what I could see. My placement coming into the 4^th corner turned out to be how I finished (5^th in field, 7^th overall). Another great learning experience.

(All photos courtesy of Todd Leister)

Very cool venue, very nice crowd, very tasty beer…this one will be on our team schedule next year fo sho! Thanks to the West Chester community for supporting such a successful and damn fun event! Highly recommend a visit to this area any time though with all that it has to offer: many miles of scenic, rural roads that have rolling climbs and descents through various townships and quality restaurants in the quaint downtown area to refuel at afterward.

Kitties tear it up in the 'Noke!

2011-07-06T23:22:00.000-07:00

This Fourth of July weekend, Jen and I were Roanoke bound. The ID3 is an omnium consisting of a 1.87 mile time trial and two downtown crits. We both competed in this last year and really enjoyed it, so it has become a staple on our race calendar. With so many from local teams competing in this race, it was a great way to get away for the weekend and still feel like you’re with family during the holiday. The only bummer was that the 4th landed on a Monday this year instead of a Sunday so we missed the fireworks…not that it would have mattered due to the torrential downpour!

Saturday’s Mill Mountain TT
The first of the three races was the 1.87 mile time trial. You may be thinking, “Hey it’s barely even two miles…how difficult could it be?” I invite you to try it out next year and see! Though this climb isn’t incredibly steep, due to the short distance you’ve got to push it to the max and there are little to no opportunities for recovery. The main thought going through my mind during this race was “It’s supposed to hurt, it’s supposed to hurt”, and hurt it did. When I asked Jen how she thought she had done, she basically said she was enjoying the ride and forgot for a moment that she was actually racing, until she realized close to the end that she was supposed to be holding off her hubby and our Manderkitten, Tim, who had started 2 minutes behind her. A few hours later, we were incredibly excited to see that Jen came in first and was this year’s “Queen of the Mountain”, with a time of 11:58. I came in with a time of 12:11 to secure the second place finish.

Sunday’s Downtown Criterium
The second race of the weekend took place in downtown Roanoke and was a fast, 5-corner, 1KM course with a particularly interesting section consisting of a 180 degree turn onto brick. This is my favorite of the two ID3 crit courses simply because it’s short and fast.
The initial few laps were held at a steady pace until we heard the first prime called out and we found ourselves sprinting to the line. Throughout the 45 minute race Jen and I took turns issuing attacks off the front, in an attempt to make a breakaway from the pack. With less than ten to go, Jen made an attack which I countered when she was brought back by the group. Though I was not able to make a solo breakaway, Emily (Tradewinds) and I were able to sustain a widening gap for the rest of the race. I came in second at the line and Jen won the field sprint, taking third for the day.

Monday’s Downtown Criterium
The second crit and last race of the weekend also took place in downtown Roanoke and was a technical “L” shaped course with a slight uphill finish. Early on in the race, Emily and a Virginia Tech rider had a gap from the rest of the pack which Jen and I spent about a lap closing down. With the heat picking up and the pace quickening, several primes were called with the group sprinting to the line on each. After being first to the line on one prime, Emily made a breakaway from the pack with Jen shortly bridging up behind her. The two worked together and were able to hold us off for the rest of the race. For the last several laps, Rebecca Keller (Dire Wolf) and the VT rider took turns setting the pace as I sat second wheel. On the last lap, Rebecca stepped it up and made an early move for the finish. Shortly after the last turn I came around her and was able to take the field sprint and secure third for the day. I heard later that Jen had an incredible sprint behind Emily and that the two road around for a lap after the race unsure of who had reached the line first. Emily ended up taking first for the day as well as the overall win for the omnium. Jen took 2nd for the omnium/“Queen of the Mountain” and I finished third.

A huge thanks goes out to the promoters of the Roanoke ID3 for a fun and successful race/holiday weekend.

Till next time,

Britt
“Crusher Cat”

2011-07-02T19:09:00.000-07:00

Bike Virginia 2011

Suszann and Karen headed out west for some hill training last week during Bike Virginia. The girls were joined by their favorite Tripower, Fat Frog's, and triathlete friends for 5 days of amazing riding. There was over 1,600 cyclist participating in Bike VA this year.

This was Suszann's first Bike VA and she proved that a flat lander could excel in the mountains. Every day she rode she got stronger and faster on the climbs and was fearless on the downhills. Karen, who did Bike VA last year on her TT bike, was much more comfortable on her new road bike and she learned a valuable lesson in proper hydration. The girls survived their first hilly century ride with close to 9,000 feet of climbing. Suszann decided that 100 miles wasn't far enough and added a little detour to spice things up a little. After the five hilly days, the girls rode over 300 miles and climbed over 20,000 feet.

Suszann and Karen are back home in Virginia Beach and hoping to cash in on some of the fitness they gained in the next few weeks.

PLT MADNESS!

2011-06-21T04:20:00.000-07:00

Vanderkitten was well represented in each of the women’s categories on Sunday, for the first Peter Teeuwen time trial of the season, in Chesapeake, VA. Nearly 30 women pre-registered for the Senior State Championship TT, making for a relatively large and competitive field. Crosswinds were challenging, but the heat held off until the women's field had raced. The kittens pushed it to the max along the 23-mile lollipop course, with the finish line and hopes of illegally sweet victory nearing with each pedal stroke. When all was said and done, Cap’n Cook, BJ, and Brittany took first place in each of their respective categories (with BJ setting her PLT pr), as well as the top 3 spots for the women’s overall. Also representing VK, were Christy in the 40+, and Lisa in CAT 4, after having just ran the “CHKD RunWalk for the Kids” the day before and taking 4th place in her age group. Christy escaped before pictures were taken, probably a smart move...
(picture courtesy of Manderkitten Danbo)
And a big thanks to Donna for working as an official, and CONGRATS on her new grandmahood!

9 Lives and True Grit...
Three weeks ago, Jen was on the ground after a gnarly crash at Bike Jam/Kelly Cup with a broken jaw, fractured temple, and bleeding from the face. It seems that in order to cash in all 9 lives, ‘kittens are required to land on their faces. (Now is a great time to thank Frank of Celerity Cycling who spent 8 hours at Johns-Hopkins ER taking care of Jen and getting her home safely, as well as all the friends who stopped by, called, and/or texted to offer help, support, and dirty jokes to keep her light-hearted about having 2 black eyes, a strict diet of ice cream, and being off her bike for 5 days.)

Still a little broken but determined to get her racing mojo back, Jen entered the Tour of Washington County sponsored by SRAM and Antietam Velo Club this past weekend. Through much encouragement from team mates, friends, family, and jack russells, she finished 10th in the general classification (8th in prologue, 5th in road race, 10th in time trial, and 9th in criterium). Tour of Washington County was a great event and is now a staple on the Vanderkitten-Virginia Beach race calendar. A big thanks to Joe Jefferson, AVC, SRAM, and all the badass women who raced hard, fast, and fun all weekend!!

First Race//First WIN!

2011-06-05T19:37:00.001-07:00

Karen and Roberta are hooked. After worrying themselves silly about how they would perform in their first crit they both made Vanderkitten proud. They both spent more than enough time up front battling the wind but said it was safer there than in the pack. Karen decided to go for the GOLD on the last turn and never looked back. Roberta followed close behind. Watching them race made the rest of us remember what it was like as a newbie. We’re all glad that they’ve got the racing bug.

Karen decided that bad weather predictions for Bryan Park wasn’t going to keep her away from a race today. Still high from her win she stayed upright on a wet, technical course with two 90 degree turns and rough, bumpy sections.

She was super nervous because it was raining, the course was wet and said she had zero bike skills. She stepped in dog s--- right before she was getting on her bike, rode 3 laps in the small chain ring (Duh), legs were dead from yesterday, Garmin wasn't working, stayed up front almost the whole race (she didn't want anyone crashing in front of her) and did all the work, got out-sprinted in the end by almost everyone, came in 7th out of 9th.

Her impression of the race – AWESOME! She’s glad she did it because she now has more confidence because she rode a wet technical course, survived it, and felt pretty comfortable and learned a lot. This year is all about gaining experience and Karen said she got plenty today.

Wilmington Grand Prix Criterium

2011-05-22T18:12:00.000-07:00

On Saturday Ali and Jen went up against 50 of the toughest women in the region at the Wilmington Grand Prix Criterium. This Pro 1-2 women's race consisted of a one-mile, 8-turn course that the women completed 25 times. Laura VanGilder, defending champion, was at the line, along with Colavita's Kristen Sanders who was celebrating her 40th birthday and came away with the win over VanGilder. Our old friend Rachel Warner was there, and Anna Lang from the Vanderkitten Focus team. The pace was quick from the start, with Colavita and others making several break attempts. Both Ali and Jen stayed within the main pack as the race broke apart and women dropped off of the back. Ali spent some time on front driving the pace, and managed to keep herself in good position toward the front of the pack for the entire race. Jen worked hard to stay in the pack, so hard in fact that she got to see her breakfast for a second time. Badass. In the end, Ali was in the thick of things for the sprint, pulling out a 15th place that put her in the money! Cap'n Cook embarassed her by forcing her to take a money shot picture.

Jen came in 29th, just a few spots out of the booty.

Wintergreen Ascent & Jefferson Cup

2011-05-09T16:43:00.000-07:00

Five of the Vanderkittens headed west this past weekend to do the Wintergreen Ascent and the Jefferson Cup race in Charlottesville. It was a Vanderkitten sweep for Laura, Jen and Brittany at Wintergreen with Captain Cook taking the GOLD and the title of “Queen of the Mountain” with a time of 46:01. Jen was right behind with a time of 46:03 and Brittany took 3rd with a time of 48:41. As for me, I placed 2nd in the 40 plus behind Valerie Netsch (Tripower) with a time of 51:35. This ol’ Grandma hasn’t thrown in the towel to old age quite yet. We also need to thank Ali for cheering us on in her comic cheerleader outfit!

After some great comfort food and drink at Devil’s Backbone, some of the girls got back on their bikes and headed up toward Crabtree Falls for some more miles. I decided to head back to Charlottesville to take a much needed nap. We all decided on a great local Indian restaurant for dinner in Charlottesville where we inhaled our food and wine getting ready for the next race.
Waking up on Mother’s Day morning to sunny skies was a perfect beginning to a great day. 50 plus women arrived for the 9:00 start of the race with their engines primed for what would be a blistering pace. The hill by the winery broke up the race lap after lap. Brittany, Ali and Jen all hung in there for the full 50. As it came down to the finish, Brittany was in the money for 3rd place in Cat 3. Jen placed 9th and Ali was close behind for the Cat 2’s. Unfortunately, the results have Ali listed as a DNF. As for me, I was spit off the back after the 2nd hill climb and totally enjoyed the company of a chase group consisting of Janet from ABRT and Amanda from Fat Frogs plus others. After having a nasty accident a few years back, it was the first time I’ve ventured out to a road race and it felt great. You’ll be seeing more of me soon!

Thanks to the race promoters for both Wintergreen and the Jefferson Cup Road Race. You did an outstanding job!

BJ aka Podium Cat

Jim"DIESEL" Dunham

2011-05-05T09:30:00.000-07:00

It’s been 2 days since Jim “Diesel” Dunham was struck by a hit and run driver in Va Beach. Efforts are being made to find the driver who took down one of the most well known and well liked riders in the area. The Virginian Pilot, Channel 13 News and 106.9 have spread the news. Facebook has blown up with the story. His adoring friends are praying for a quick recovery.

Jim, you are in everyone’s thoughts and prayers.

I just stopped by to check on Jim at the hospital and when I went to the reception area, the volunteer said he was a very popular guy with visitors lining up to see him. The nurses on the 3rd floor are keeping busy monitoring the traffic. Arlene, the dietician, is meeting Jim’s request for good food. This morning he enjoyed 6 hardboiled eggs (yolks removed). Lunch and dinner will be salad with a bit of chicken to aid in his recovery.

Jim is in good spirits considering what he has gone through. His family is by his side and Barb is making sure he gets his sponge baths! Jim is always the leader of the pack and without him, we are lost. Heal quickly.

VA Beach VK Race Results: Here and Abroad

2011-05-02T16:15:00.000-07:00

With sunny skies and warm temps, Brittany mosied down to North Carolina this past weekend amped and ready for a full weekend of racing, including her first road race of the season. Tour de Moore presented by Hincapie Sportswear took place Saturday in Southern Pines, with a combined CAT 3/4 field of 20 women. The 32 mile race kept a fairly quick pace due to several break attempts throughout, the majority of which were served up by the team of three from Hincapie/Green Creations. None of the breaks were destined to stick, though, with the eager pack immediately chasing each one down. With the “rolling” hills and heat taking its toll, the pack slowed down the last couple of miles as they neared the signs indicating the finishing stretch. As soon as the 1k to go sign was passed, the pace shot up as the riders made their moves towards the final turn, and Brittany found herself in a not-so ideal position, 5th or 6th back from the lead rider. With the sprint to the finish, Britt was able to shut down the gaps and took the win with a Hincapie rider coming in second.

Sunday’s Brick City Criterium, hosted by PARcycles.com, traded in the country hills for a relatively flat and fast, four corner crit in the heart of downtown Sanford. The women’s open consisted of 24 riders, seven of whom were on the PARcycles squad. The women on the host team displayed some amazing teamwork throughout, with each taking turns going off the front while the pace was controlled behind. Brittany and a handful of other riders spent the majority of the race trying to close breaks, with the last attempt ultimately being unsuccessful, as a PARcycles CAT 1/2 rider kept her distance and took the win. A Hincapie/Green Creations rider took first for the 3s, with Brittany coming in 3rd.

Keeping it closer to home, two of our kittens, Lisa and Roberta, participated in the Run for Independence 5k- hosted by Independence Middle School. Lisa placed first in her age group, with a time of 23:18 and Roberta came in second in her age group at 25:50, shaving off a full 2 minutes from a previous 5k she did back in December.

Congratulations to our ladies for doing such an amazing job this weekend!!!

Please stay tuned for more news as Laura, Ali, BJ, Brittany, Jen and Manderkitten Bob make their way to Charlottesville this coming weekend for Wintergreen and Jeff Cup.

Meadows Circuit Race Report

2011-04-25T13:50:00.000-07:00

Jen, Britt and Ali headed up to the Meadows Circuit Race in Doswell, VA on Saturday. There were 24 women lined up in the combined field on a cold, wet morning ready for 18 laps on a 1.4 mile course; a unique loop that included several sharp tight turns, a nice (read short) uphill push and a fast, fun downhill all on smooth pavement.

The pace was steady from the start with Syn-Fit riders taking turns at the front. A couple of efforts were made to create a gap but nothing worked until about 5 or so laps in when two of them actually went off of the front along with a North Tek-Aria rider. Ali jumped to get in on the break making a four person split which eventually became three as one rider fell back into the pack. Back in the field, Syn-Fit &VK kept the pace high making it difficult for any attacks to be successful.

The three person break worked well together rotating pulls until coming into the final two turns when Ali took her shot at pulling around for the win and pulled it out. Jen won the field sprint after a hard effort to reel in a rider who attacked early in the last lap. Unfortunately, Brittany had to pull out of the race midway due to a work related phone call (work, such a four letter word).

Overall, it was a good day and we were glad that everyone who entered stayed upright considering the conditions at the start. It’s always good to race with a mix from MABRA and VCA. Thanks to Richmond Velo/3 Sports for putting on this second annual event. Hope word spreads for more sign-ups next year as it is one of the more challenging courses in our series and we need to continue to support it!

P.S. from Ali: Big ups to our buddy "Jimmy Jam", owner of Jimmy’z Mobile Bike Workz, for stopping my pig from squealing the night before...she's got a nice purr now. He does great work and you can check him out here on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jimmyz-Mobile-Bike-Workz/281457917012

Felines on Fire/Conquer the Canal & VaDu

2011-04-11T05:16:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Fat Frogs for hosting the Conquer the Canal Time Trial Saturday! Vanderkitten was well represented by 10 women across four categories and placed as follows:

40+ Women: BJ Samuel 1st place, Suszann Magner 9th place, Christy Hamlin 10th place Cat 1,2 Women: Laura Cook 1st place, Ali Ingram 2nd place, Jen Pope 3rd place Cat 3 Women: Brittany Macdonald 5th place Cat 4 Women: Roberta Guimond 5th place, Karen Franke 7th place, Lisa Armistead 14th place.

Quick facts from the race: 40 women were registered; Vanderkitten had the three fastest times of the day for women; BJ, at age 60, had the 3rd fastest women's time overall (30:24); Roberta bettered her time from last year by over a minute (32:55); Laura, Ali, and Jen swept the women's 1-2 category; Brittany and Karen get the "good sport of the day" award, one for dusting herself off and getting it done, the other for her patience :)

April 10th 2011 – The Tail of Du ‘kittens

After a successful day of conquering the canal on Saturday, three ‘kittens traveled to Surry, Virginia to compete in the Virginia Duathlon – Lisa, Christy, and myself, Jen. Sunny skies, warmer temperatures, and NO WIND contributed to a beautiful race day, which is significant because I only signed up for it after the Jeff Cup was postponed two weeks ago due to snow ....then the VaDu had to postpone due to freezing rain as well. Lucky for me, now I get to compete in both events.

Looking svelte and resplendent in new VKVB gear from JLVelo, Lisa and Christy BOTH hammered into FIRST place in their respective age groups. In fact, Lisa had such a great race that she dropped a full 6 minutes off her time from last year. These fast ‘kittens have now added the coveted VaDu Duck Decoy trophy to their collections. Excellent job Lisa and Christy!!

I decided to team up with Iron(wo)man Rachel Wigton of Fat Frogs Racing for the VaDu relay. This was so much fun that it didn’t even feel legal!! I love my bicycles, and Rachel was born to run fast! Rachel was the first female runner into the transition area and launched me into my fastest 40k time trial ever. While I was enjoying the weather, BBQ, and getting a sunburn, she also turned in the fastest women’s second run time. We finished first overall for the relay teams for women, men, and mixed.

Thanks to everyone at Kale Running, the Hupps, and friends for another great Virginia Duathlon!!

(photos courtesy of Jacob Anderson, self-proclaimed manderkitten)

Raceway Report

2011-03-21T18:37:00.000-07:00

Four of us took a road trip up to Richmond for the RIR (Richmond International Raceway) crit on Sunday. With temps in the mid 50's and partly cloudy skies, the conditions were pretty nice for mid-March. It was a combined field of categories with a total of 27 women at the line. Tradewinds started out of the gate with a quick pace that was maintained for much of the race. They made break attempts as did we and some lasted for a few laps but eventually were pulled back in. Two primes were picked up in the process.

With about 10 or so to go, Ali got a gap with a Tradewinds rider and Cap'n Cook, Britt & Jen all worked together to help make it stick. Eventually a rider from Potomac Velo decided to go off of the front and bridged up solo. The three of them finished out the remaining 5 or 6 laps with Ali getting 2nd place in the sprint. The field had closed in and came across the line seconds behind with an end result landing all of us in the top 10.

Another great day of of early season racing with teamwork making the difference. Thanks to Richmond Velo Sport and Team Whole Foods for putting on this event and Dan Bo for the pics!

First Race Weekend

2011-03-14T03:06:00.000-07:00

First of all, BJ Samuel freakin rocks. 60 years old this month. One of the fastest 40+ time trialists in the country. One of the fastest time trialists PERIOD in the region. And on Sunday the overall fastest woman, out of 30 starters, at the Dismal Dash Time Trial. BJ covered the 40K+ course in 1:05:12. Again, BJ Samuel freakin rocks.

Not only do we have BJ on our team but a host of other incredibly talented women as well. At the time trial today, we had our newest addition, Jen Pope, representing Vanderkitten with a WIN in the women's cat 1/2 race. All the more impressive is the fact that she raced in two crits yesterday. Vanderkitten was also represented by Roberta, Karen and Lisa, all of whom improved upon their times from last year. The results show that the Vanderkittens have done their training over the winter and are ready to race.

On Saturday, four women represented Vanderkitten at the Sleepy Hole Smackdown Crit. Laura, Ali and our newest teammates Brittany and Jen, raced in the women's 1/2/3 race. We were incredibly fortunate to have Britt and Jen join our team this year. And this, our first crit of the season, confirmed for all of that this was a great decision. Amazing and selfless teamwork enabled us to finish 2nd, 3rd, 5th and 7th in a relatively small but strong group of women. Thanks to the ladies of Tradewinds and Fat Frogs for a great race. And thanks to the Wheelmen for successfully putting it on again this year!

The Vanderkittens want to thank Chatty Cathi for showing up at the time trial yesterday to cheer us on. We appreciate her giving up her morning ride to make sure we got ours on....

Snowbirdin It

2011-02-20T05:57:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time, a few kittens caught wind of rumors of a magical land, with warm February temps and hills that would put the beloved Pungo Ferry Bridge to shame. However, when they heard of a hot tub, in the shape of Mickey Mouse, it was decided that action needed to be taken.

So after 788 miles, 12 hours on the road, countless cans of red bull, ¾ bag of ‘muy delicioso’ homemade granola, and plenty of pretzels & hummus, Capn Cook, Ali, and Brittany arrived in the Promise Land. It’s Florida, Baby!

There were roughly 25 other cyclists from around different areas of Hampton Roads, all renting homes in the same neighborhood. We did a little riding with the large group, but found it more conducive to our training to split off with a smaller number so that we could set a comfortable pace and get more pulling time in.

Though the temps weren’t quite as Florida-like as one might expect, they most definitely allowed for less layers of spandex and more enjoyable riding then what we’ve all experienced over the unusually cold winter months here at home. The particularly sunny days allowed more pedaling/tan line-establishing time than others, but we still managed to crank out a respectable 65 miles per day on average.

With the Florida days beginning to run together, a vacation routine quickly set in: ‘bucks run, breakfast, ride, quality-time with Mickey, dinner, games, beauty rest, repeat. We ate in every night, in an effort to keep costs down, with a menu consisting of things like homemade pizzas, chicken fajitas, curried chicken, grilled fish & chicken tacos. For our last night in town, we treated ourselves to sushi and the like. Ali seemed to be ready to break her shrimp eating record with specialty rolls, but thankfully it was too expensive of a proposition (special funds set aside for next year).

Looking toward the Snowball Crit #2 as our first race of the season. With any luck, the balmy temps we've enjoyed lately will stick around. Stay tuned…

Baby It's COLD Outside!

2010-12-19T14:37:00.000-08:00

This wacky weather is just making the cats on Vanderkitten restless. One day it’s nice, the next it’s not. One day the winds are howling and the next day you couldn’t fly a kite if you had to. We’ve now had some snow, some ice, schools have been cancelled, schools have had delayed openings all playing havoc on a cyclist training schedule.

Today we had a 90% chance of rain so Captain Cook took the bull by the horns and decided it was time that the Vanderkittens spent some quality time together doing a little spin class of our own. Although the group wasn’t large, we had fun and spent 2 hours plus doing what we do best! Thanks to our leader for getting a game going to break the boredom! I think we’re all getting to know each other really well and the game was a nice little ice breaker to say the least! Thanks to Laura, Ali, Claudia, Lisa, Jen and Brittany for being a part of the day.

Happy Holidays to all. Looks like it’s going to be White Christmas for many this year!

Podium Cat

Lisa - Her First Cross Race!

2010-11-30T08:40:00.000-08:00

As many of the Vanderkitten followers know, our team is made up of racers, riders, runners, triathletes and as much talent off the bike as on it. We have seen in the last year mountain bikers become road racers, runners becoming triathletes, we have Cathi who organized the Bosom Buddies Ride for VA Beach and others on our team who have made sure all the riders are getting in their rides with safety in numbers. One of our newest members, Lisa, stood out this last weekend because she did her very first cross race and LOVED it!

Lisa has quite a running background and has been placing high in the results as one of the top in her age group. She did Project Athena in November and finished 3rd in her age group at that race. Soon after she ran the Turkey Trot and was 4th at that race. Her goal next year is to win her age group and bring home a coveted Turkey Trophy!

I happened to be at the Mt. Trashmore race to take photos of the racers last Sunday and Lisa’s smile stood out from the rest. Not only was she smiling at the beginning, but continued to smile up and down the hills and even at the finish. She rode her first cross race on a hybrid but hopes that Santa will bring her a lighter bike for future races. Lisa brings to our team an enthusiasm that is contagious. When she’s not running or biking, she’s happy at home with her husband and son. As for her profession, she owns a knitting shop where she keeps her hands very busy! Because of her job and hobby, Lisa is affectionally known as our "Knitten Kitten". Lisa, we’re proud of you and happy that you’re a part of Vanderkitten. We’re also proud of you for losing 50 pounds!

Podium Cat

Winter Training!

2010-11-15T16:38:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, Captain Cook rounded up a large group of Vanderkittens for a long ride out to the country. Not only did everyone get in 50 plus miles or more, the group enjoyed riding in a double pace line which allowed everyone time to get to know members on the team a bit better. Hours later we were all back having a party at Barb’s where we were able to sample everyone’s culinary efforts. The team looks forward to more adventures south on the bike as well as more parties at Barb’s house.

Our team has also had some great results this fall. Brittany and Jen are landing on the podium at cross races, Lisa is winning running races and doing well at triathlons, Karen just finished running the NY Marathon and Theresa was seen at the Between the Waters Century having the time of her life.

I'm glad to be a part of this very accomplished group of women who really have their act together. WE ARE VANDERKITTEN!

A Bright Spot!

2010-10-04T16:55:00.000-07:00

The weather for the Virginia Beach Bosom Buddies Bike Ride was the only bright spot between 4 days of rain before and 2 days afterward. We were fortunate to have a gorgeous sunny day to ride our bikes in support of the Susan B. Komen Foundation. Those of us who chose the longer routes had to contend with some major water hazards (due to the heavy rain 2 days before) but fortunately, knowing our way around, were able to detour and still get our miles in without following submarine routes! Our Cathi did a great job organizing the event with 125 riders. Vanderkitten was well represented with the largest team contingent of 8 of our finest riders. Thanks to everyone who came and thanks to all the volunteers who made this happen.

Bosom Buddies

2010-09-20T16:41:00.000-07:00

The Virginia Beach Bosom Buddies Bike Ride to benefit the Komen Foundation is scheduled for October 2! Cathi, Vanderkitten's own "Chatty Cat", is a 16 year survivor of breast cancer and is a chairperson for this event.

Many of us have a loved one, friend or co-worker who has been struck down with this diagnosis. Please help us continue to work towards finding a cure for our children and grandchildren and generations to come. All proceeds will be going to the Komen Foundation!

It's a great day planned for the Virginia Beach Bosom Buddies Bike Ride! There will be a raffle for a road bike donated by East Coast Bikes and a hybrid bike donated by Fat Frogs. Bring CASH for raffle tickets, 12 chances to win for only $20.00!!!

Additionally, SAG will be provided by Conte's and mechanical support will be provided by Bike Beat. Rest stops are at VB fire stations with Fire Fighters volunteering. Massage therapists will be available at the after party at Seashore State Park on 64th Street. There will also be music provided by local schools and a scrumptious lunch included.

Tell your friends to go to: www.eteamz.com/virginiabeachbosombuddiesbikeride for registration and more information. Early bird registration for $35 ends on September 24th.

Meet The Teacher!

2010-09-02T18:47:00.000-07:00

I took Gracen to soccer practice tonight and cut out a few minutes early because it was the night to MEET THE TEACHER at her school. Since it was a little crazy in the parking lot , I told Gracen I would walk her in to MEET THE TEACHER while her mom was trying hard to find a place to park at the midnight hour. Not liking that I wasn’t dressed to the 9’s, I figured I would fit in since Gracen was still wearing her soccer uniform and cleats and I was in workout wear. We made it just in time to meet her friends, their parents and meet her teachers. I didn’t realize until I got home that was I wearing this t-shirt. Nice way to get on the right side of the teacher. Thank goodness I’m only the grandma . I may not be invited back as a volunteer…..

Podium Cat aka Gracen's Grand Bee

Ricky Young - You will be remembered

2010-08-29T10:30:00.000-07:00

72 riders showed up on our Saturday ride with blue ribbons tied to their bikes, to remember Ricky Young who passed away at the age of 16. Ricky was from a very loving family. Whenever anyone asked Rick (his dad) how little Ricky was doing, Rick would talk about all of his friends, his love of baseball, and how he was just getting the driving thing down pat. Ricky had undergone 2 heart surgeries this summer. Unfortunately, complications after his 2nd heart surgery were the cause of death. Many in the cycling community were present at both the wake and church service where we were made fully aware of just how many friends and loved ones adored this boy. He was not only an honor roll student and an athlete, but obviously was everyone’s best friend. Our condolences go out to the family in this difficult time for all.

Sunday we all woke to temperatures in the high 60’s which is not typical of August weather in Virginia Beach. The waves are near perfect for the surfers in town for the East Coast Surfing Championship. While the pros were in the Atlantic trying to find the perfect wave, a large group left Conte’s to go out to the country for a nice easy long ride. In town for the weekend were Don Saroff and his lovely wife Michelle, who came along for the ride. We soon learned that Don and his team set a new national record at Track Nationals in Trexler, PA on August 22nd in the 45 plus 4k team time trial. Thanks for visiting us here at the beach and for taking a 50 mile pull on your Cervelo track bike. Don, You Rock!

Am I the only one who LOVES time trials???

2010-08-22T11:24:00.000-07:00

I woke up at 5:15 this morning to make my way over to Stony Creek for the state time trial only to hear rain falling on my skylight here at the beach. Thinking this was not a good sign, I checked the weather for Stony Creek and found that it was the place to be since rain was nowhere in sight!

The women’s 40 plus was the first category up so it was nice to get the time trial out of the way and enjoy watching the others suffer later in the day. A total of 21 women time trialed with lots of girls coming down from northern Virginia. It was nice to win my category with a time of 1:01:54, along with the 3rd fastest time of the day for the ladies, but I was equally happy to see that I’m not slowing down at the age of 59. I hope for good things next year and may even make a trip out to Bend, Oregon, to race with some other girls my age at Nationals.

As expected, Karen Hansen and her team put on a good event today. I was happy to receive some meat from Fiorucci as well as a gift card to Conte’s. I personally love this course and enjoyed the 30 second start times as well as the fact that Karen let the first to sign up be the last off in each category. As for my racing season, I’m done for the year and will find myself riding lots of centuries and taking photos of cyclists everywhere I go. Since my accident 2 years ago, I have found my way back to the crit scene a few times just to get my confidence back. Next year I hope to do more crits and get back to some road races.

Look for good things to come from Vanderkitten next year. Our team is growing!

BJ aka Podium Cat/Vanderkitten Racing

Chesapeake Crit and PLT #3 Race Report

2010-08-15T14:53:00.000-07:00

The 100 degree weather left in time for cyclists from all over to descend on Hampton Roads for 2 days of great racing.

Saturday the stage was set in a crit course around the Chesapeake Municipal Center. The signups for the ladies were low until race day when another 10 signed up. Our Podium Cat started things off so the speed quickly moved from the teens to the twenties by turn one. She stayed up front long enough to get things going and moved comfortably back to watch the race unfold. Jennifer Rasmussen (Kenda Tire) made a bold move off the front but was brought back in. She later took another flyer with 3 other girls who stayed together almost to the end. At the finish it was Jennifer Rasmussen taking the win with our Captain Cook in 4th place. Ali came in first for the field sprint and Podium Cat was the caboose saving herself for her time trial the next day. Race promoters provided a great purse of $500.00 so the lion’s share went to Jennifer who was clearly the strongest competitor out there. Ruth did a super job as race announcer and had us all cheering the racers on all day long. Next year all the women racers need to come support this race so they don’t take the money away!

Sunday found many of the Saturday riders back to compete in the PLT #3 in Chesapeake, VA. This lollipop course is a favorite to many. The fields for the ladies were pretty evenly stacked. Jennifer Rasmussen again took the gold with a time of 53:20. Ali Cat was close behind with a time of 53:50, a PR for her by almost a minute. Podium Cat won the GOLD for the 45 plus and received a gold medal in this state age graded race. Lisa came out to help the team by racing in Category 4 and was pleased with her 8th place finish with a time of 1:08:52. We even had an out of town VK racer to cheer us on. Thanks, Ronna, for making the trip South.

All in all it was a great weekend for the Vanderkittens. We continue to enjoy each other’s company both off and on the bike and look forward to the VA State time trial next weekend and the last race of the season, the City Center Crit on September 11.

"Hill"acious Road Trip

2010-08-09T16:02:00.000-07:00

Cook and Ali headed to Stanley, VA on Saturday for the VCA/MABRA Road Race Championship up in Page Valley. It was sunny and warm for this last race of the day. There were 21 women pre-registered for the 1/2/3s. The course was an 11 mile loop (52 miles total) and had a nice variety to it: flat sloped sections, rollers, momentum carrying hills, a lengthy mid-grade hill, a shorter, steeply pitched hill and, saving the best for last, a bomber downhill.

The start was moderately paced with everyone staying together. Small gaps were created a couple of times but no true attempts were made to break away, most seemingly content to keep company. Around about 2 laps into the 4 ½ laps, some separation occurred reducing the lead group to roughly 12 riders. The pack would break up in some sections and come back together in others. Eventually, with a lap to go, the group had dwindled down to 9. In the final steep uphill finish, 4 pulled away and the remaining 5 battled it out for the field sprint. Cook won that taking 1st in the VCA division and 4th in the 1/2s overall. Ali fell off the back around lap 3 ½ but managed to find her way back to the car, cooler & contentment.

The drive home later that night was one for the books. Thanks to the Sperryville police department for locating the unscathed wheel bag (with a set of our friend's 303 tubulars inside!) ...next year we’ll intentionally drive through your town – with dozens of donuts to deliver! And as always, many thanks to those who promoted this well organized race. Great job!

A CAT NAP for some but not for all!

2010-07-19T16:50:00.000-07:00

This last weekend was quiet for racers in Hampton Roads. Some of us used this time to get off the bike and go visit family. Others decided to just ride for fun, race or travel miles away to beat the heat. Here are some of their stories.

Lisa, one of the newest members on Vanderkitten, did the 3Sports Tri in Richmond, Va last weekend. She loved the course with rolling hills and not much traffic. She rode her 20K in 37:14 and then was off the bike for a hilly 5K run. Her total time was 1:15:02, placing her 4th in her age group. We love it that Lisa had fun and can't wait to do her next tri.

While things were heating up to in VA beach to almost 100 degrees, Ali and Rob took to the road for 3 days and drove to Colorado to spend some time in the mountains. They're in Crested Butte for several days doing what they love most.

As for me, I've discovered some more kittens under the store where I work. I was lucky enough to find a great home for a kitty last year now only to find out that the kitty from last year has left behind some kitties with exactly the same markings. I'm already naming these kitties but Bob is saying "NO" to my adopting some more pets.

Podium Cat

Bryan Park

2010-07-12T03:54:00.000-07:00

Quiet weekend of racing but Ali headed up to the Bryan Park Circuit Race in Richmond yesterday. It was a small group of 9 at the line. From the start, Julie K set the pace and got a gap on the field. She kept everyone in check staying off the front intermittently throughout the race. A few short burst break attempts were made by different racers but nothing was sustained as Emily J. closed it down. The field stayed together coming into the final lap and Brittany led out the sprint for a long, hard push to the line. Ali eeked out 2nd by inches.

Nice job to all the racers and promoters!

Looks like another road trip coming up but it'll be to the mountains of Blacksburg. Hopefully Cap'n Cook will be back in the saddle to join Podium Cat for that one!

Cream Rises to the TOP!!!

2010-06-28T17:59:00.000-07:00

Lots of news with the VK Pussy Cats this weekend!

First of all the VA Beach Vanderkittens want to congratulate Ali for rising to the top to becoming a CAT 2. You go girl – we’re glad you’re keeping Captain Cook company in the very elite group of top racers.

Captain Cook and lean Gene Rutledge had the fastest time of the day for a coed team at the VB Wheelmen’s team time trial in Smithfield on Saturday. Not only did they clock in at 1:01:22 for their time trial, but they also had the 4th fastest time of the day. Way to go Laura and Manderkitten Gene!

A few of the VK gals and their spouses headed to Staunton for the weekend to take in part of BIKE VA. They left behind some of the hottest temps ever to enjoy scenic routes in and around Staunton, VA. The century ride included a Category 1 climb at mile 50 which caught everyone’s attention. When it was all over, it’s amazing what a cold beer and good pizza will do to make the pain go away. 200 miles later it was a good weekend for riding. Bob and BJ continued on with more miles on the BLUE RIDGE Parkway to take advantage of the opportunity. Here's a link to our photos from the trip: http://www.photoshow.com/watch/JN2QE4yV

Rounding out the weekend was good news to hear that Linda and Steve were married at the beach in the wee hours of the morning. Congratulations to a great couple who are spending their honeymoon riding the picturesque roads of Italy.

Better Late Than Never - Amazing Tri Cats

2010-06-22T17:43:00.000-07:00

The past several weekends brought out our Vanderkitten triathletes competing in three different races; Breezy Point , Eagleman 1/2 Iron Man and Tidewater International triathlons. The results prove that we indeed have a diverse group of women and talent in our club.

Breezy Point was a hot weekend and for the first time in a long time, a wetsuit ineligible race. This didn’t faze our gals. Roberta Guimond finished 5^th in her AG; Karen Franke, Claudia Baker and Vanda Kennedy who were the swimmers on relay teams all turned in respectable performances fighting a wicked current and Claudia’s team Red Hammer Racing (which consisted of Denise Wood - Red Hammer herself, Claudia and Jessica Lennon) scooped up a first place finish.

The following weekend Lisa Armistead, Claudia, and Erika Peck headed up to Hampton for a bright early 7am start at the Tidewater Olympic triathlon. The swim course consisting of two laps at jellyfish strewn Buckroe beach was less than desirable but at least they weren’t the stinging kind. The bike course through Fort Monroe proved to be a bit windy in spots, but that wind turned out to be our friend on the long, hot, very UNSHADED run course. All Olympic athletes had to do two loops of each leg while our spring counterparts only had to do one. I think we were all wishing at some point during the race we had chosen the sprint. But alas we all prevailed with smiles on our faces. Erika had a dynamite run that lead her to a top 5 finish in a very competitive age group!!! Claudia and Lisa both took home 3^rd place AG wins! Overall, I think we can all agree it was a really fun successful day!

On Sunday Karen Franke headed up to Maryland to compete in the highly esteemed Eagleman Half Ironman. Again a wetsuit ineligible race proved to be a scorcher of a hot day and athletes were truly tested. Karen prevailed and proved to us that she is indeed an endurance athlete who can turn it on when the heat gets turned up!

Way to go Tri-kitties!

Here, there and everywhere

2010-06-21T02:51:00.000-07:00

The Vanderkittens were all over the State this weekend. Ali Cat ventured up to the TNP crit on Saturday and loved the new smooth course with all sorts of turns and twists. Ali and Catherine Freck broke away on the 2nd lap and held a fast pace throughout. At the end it was Ali taking the GOLD and Catherine taking the silver. Very nice.

Seven Vanderkittens toed the line at the PLT #1 time trial in Chesapeake, Virginia on Sunday. We had some veterans out there as well as some who had never done a time trial. We were very proud to have Lisa out there for her first, but not her last, and were happy to hear her husband was taking photos of us at the start and finish. When all was said and done, Captain Cook took 1st overall with a time of 53:50 while her teammate, Podium Cat came in with the 2nd fastest time of the day at 56:09. Rounding out the top 3 was Jen Pope from Fat Frogs. All the girls did well and spread points for the team in all categories. Hats off to Barb, Wendie, Suszann, Karen and Lisa for coming out on a brutally hot day to race.

Ali headed west to the Massanutten Hoo-Ha mountain bike race on Sunday. It was her first time entering this 22nd annual event, part of the US Cup race series. The course, consisting primarily of singletrack with some fire road & field connectors, was 24 miles long (2 loops of 12). There were rock gardens and bermed switchbacks, both in the climbs and descents, making it challenging, fast & fun. She finished 2nd in the women’s open category and 10th overall with a time of 2:54:37. Your team stands in awe knowing you were out there racing with the pros including Sue Haywood.

The Vanderkittens want to thank all the race promoters for the weekend races. We also want to wish our Manderkittens a HaPPy Father's Day!

The Heat Was On

2010-06-14T12:58:00.000-07:00

Humidity was high but so were our hopes for a smooth and successful 1st annual Cause for Paws Crit on Sunday. Rainy skies in the wee morning hours cleared to gray and eventually blue by the time it was all said and done. We had a nice turnout and the numbers were well distributed among the various races. In the women’s open race, there were 17 entrants at the line. Cook took off right from the start with one rider jumping on her wheel. They got a gap halfway into the first lap of the .6 mile loop, with BJ and Ali sitting on the front of the pack and Suszann in the middle. A few laps in, BJ jumped and scrambled the field. Ali bridged up shortly thereafter and the break of three now held their split for a few more laps around the course. Then Cook jumped and pulled away to solo the next several loops, gaining solid distance from the two. Ali sat in and ultimately made a move to try and bridge up to Cook. Once that was done, they alternated positions with the remaining laps to finish up 1st and 2nd. BJ and Suszann worked hard in the field and finished strong, all four getting lots of support and encouragement from teammates working the race as well as spectators.

Many thanks to all who helped out in the preparation and staging of this event. It could not have been pulled off without the multi-tasking abilities and leadership of Cap’n Cook, the guidance and experience of Carolyn Goble, the cooperation and assistance from the City of Chesapeake and all of the volunteering team members & Manderkittens. We greatly appreciate everyone who supported us by coming out to participate whether it was to race or watch or both - most especially those who traveled from out of town! We hope a good time was had by all and you’ll all be back next year! Results will be posted on BikeReg soon. In the meantime, you can take a look at the numerous pictures our fabulous photographer, BJ, took to capture the day’s activities:http://bobandbj.smugmug.com/Cycling/Cause-for-Paws-Criterium-2010/12546574_R5JnF#900203212_sCHSM

Last but not least, a special shout out to those who donated items and/or money for the critters at the VBSPCA. We’re looking forward to delivering all of your contributions this week.

The BJ is back!

2010-06-07T02:57:00.000-07:00

Time trials, while they hurt like hell, are relatively safe. Crits, on the other hand, have the potential to knock you down and bang you up, making you wonder "is this really worth it?" Two years ago BJ was asking herself that question as she lay on the ground, cut and broken, at the Casey Crit. A broken collar bone, several stitches, a pretty bad concussion, and months on the trainer led her to decide that no, crits were not worth it. Since then she has continued to do time trials, beating not only the women in the 40 plus category, but also almost every other woman as well. She is a time trialing Goddess! So, as they say, time heals. And thus it has for BJ. At 59 years young, BJ is THE most energetic person I have EVER met. Not to mention a little competitive. And determined. And crazy, in a good way :) All of those characteristics combined, plus the support of an amazing husband, brought BJ to the conclusion that maybe crits aren't so bad afterall. That taking calculated chances is worth it. After dipping her toe in the water in a couple of crits earlier in the season, BJ jumped in with both feet this weekend. And, as expected, she ROCKED. Here's how the weekend played out: At the Amphib Crit yesterday she made an early break and stayed out there with various other racers as things played out behind her. In the end she came away with 2nd place for the 40 plus women and 4th place overall. One of the other racers was heard saying, "I almost ran you down in the sprint!". At just over half BJ's age this woman was excited that she ALMOST caught BJ in the sprint! After an almost 60 mile ride this morning, BJ decided she would forgo her usual Sunday afternoon routine of manicuring her perfect lawn (think Martha Stewart on steroids) and throw her hat in the ring at the Langley Speedway. Once again she found herself in a breakaway, this time with two very strong women, one who is a Cat 1 racer. BJ ended up 1st for the 40+ women, lapping the field, and third overall. We should all be so lucky when we're 59. Cap'n Cook and Cap'n of the BJ is a BadA** Fan Club

It Is What It Is

2010-05-30T21:39:00.000-07:00

And what it was wasn't pretty. Headed to Newport News Saturday for the Casey Crit @ Todd Stadium. Tunnel traffic & a wrong turn made a short road trip a bit longer & more comical to start things off. Laura & Ali raced with Suszann & about 15 other women in the Women's Open category. BJ was there to take her standard stellar photos of several different races on what turned out to be a sunny Saturday afternoon.

The pace started slow & didn't change much with a couple of surges during the first several laps. Eventually Cook set up Ali to break which worked but another racer got on her wheel. They made a few laps together and then Cook bridged up to assist. Keeping their gap from the field, they continued to run laps around the half mile track, the two of them primarily doing the pulls. As they came into the back side of the course during the bell lap, with Cook leading Ali out, the sprint started right before the final turn. Emily came around the outside and got the win. Ali 2nd and Cook 3rd. Suszann, racing Cat 4, finished in the pack in the field sprint shortly thereafter.

Another well done event this year and a forecast that wasn't expected but appreciated. Thanks to the JRVS Team & to the ladies who came out and gave it their best effort!

Cause for Paws Criterium - June 13, 2010

2010-05-28T17:47:00.001-07:00

Vanderkitten Racing proudly announces their first annual “Cause for Paws” crit to be held in Chesapeake, Virginia on June 13.
This is a VA Cycling Bar event which promises to have great primes, lots of race money taking place on a spectator friendly course. We have a 50 plus men’s category and also have special medals for the juniors.

A portion of the registration fee will be donated to the Virginia Beach SPCA so that they can take care of our furry friends.

Registration is now open on BikeReg at: http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=11064

DE, MD, VA: Abbreviated Race Reports

2010-05-25T03:46:00.000-07:00

DELAWARE: Hit the road early Saturday morning to head up to the Wilmington Grand Prix. Cook, Anna Lang & Kacey Manderfield raced with another 65 or so ladies in the Pro 1/2 crit held on the streets downtown. The pace was fast and aggressive cornering on a couple of downhill right turns probably helped to split the field, though long straightaways after allowed for some regrouping. For safety reasons, riders were pulled & eventually only half remained to dig it out. Kacey Manderfield was in that group and got in a five person breakaway. She came in a strong 2nd behind Laura Van Gilder.

MARYLAND: Sunday we headed on to Baltimore for the Kelly Cup/Bike Jam. This was a Pro 1/2/3 race so Ali Cat joined them and another 35 or so who showed up to race around Patterson Park. Fun course with swooping turns, one a little tighter then the rest. Group stayed together for the most part with a handful of break attempts being pulled back. In the final lap, Kacey led out Anna who grabbed 3rd, Van Gilder again taking the win.

VIRGINIA: Locally, Suszann raced with the Cat 4s at the Sleepy Hole Smackdown out in Suffolk on Sunday. Heard it was a close finish for 1st and 2nd place. Hope to get more of a report soon!

Knott's Island Century/Sprint Into Spring

2010-05-17T18:37:00.000-07:00

A few of the Vanderkittens travelled to Chesapeake to ride the Knott’s Island Century last Saturday. After 25 miles at a sedate pace, we boarded the ferry from Currituck to Knott’s Island. We embarked an hour later to finish the last 75 on country roads. The weather was nice and the ride ended with a pasta dinner hosted by TBA. The only glitch was the unexpected rain washing away the markings which told us which way to go. Since we’d all ridden this course before, we were able to get our 100 miles in, while missing 2 rest stops, by adding 12 miles on at the end.

Suszann made her way to the Sprint into Spring crit at Fort Lee. She loved the course and can’t wait until her next race. It’s always nice to have a newbie on the team whose enthusiasm is infectious. We love having her with us!

Cleo, the $500 Cat

2010-05-09T16:17:00.000-07:00

Cleo was a stray cat that had been coming up to John's back porch since his wife loves to feed the strays. He returned from a long bike ride to find her laying on a blanket in the family room. Apparently, she had seen one of their other cats at the back door and walked right in to socialize. Although she was covered with fleas, he knew that this cat was here to stay so he went to Walmart that evening and got some Sargent’s Flea stuff, the kind you place on the back of the cat’s neck.

The next afternoon, John heard the cat meowing downstairs and found her laying on on her side with her legs straight out like she was paralyzed and panting heavily. After consulting with his wife, he put her in a cat carrier for a trip to the vet. Apparently she'd had a bad reaction to the Sargent’s flea medicine but, with $500 of treatment, is going to be fine. Shortly thereafter, she was named Cleo and she is now a part of the household, fully recovered and playing with the other two cats, Penny and Browney.

JB - Fellow Cyclist, Photographer and our Friend

2010-04-18T15:21:00.000-07:00

Many hearts were broken this week with the news that John, affectionally known as JB, passed last Thursday. Not only was JB a cyclist but was a fixture on the sidelines taking photos of every race he attended. There were times when JB said it was a tossup as to whether he should buy a new bike or a new lens for his camera. After a JB sighting at a race, folks were patient to wait for the great photos he shared with everyone. When I saw him at a crit in downtown Norfolk, he lit up when he saw Kevin Dillard there because of the common bond they shared capturing the perfect picture.

I got to know JB back in 2004. I would see him here at the beach, see him in DC the next day, hear that he made a quick trip up to NY to race and then would head down to Florida to see his folks. When he wasn’t racing and chasing races up and down I-95 he was taking care of his patients and doing that quite well.

JB was also a cat lover and named his cats after cycling heroes. JB was a gentle giant.

I feel lucky that JB and Barb were able to come to Bike Va where we spent lots of miles on the road and many drinks poolside. I also feel blessed that JB was able to come to my home often for meals. His laugh and smile always lit up a room.

JB was a man behind the scenes. He was known to drive bikes for cyclists out of state while the cyclists were able to fly to their destination. He started his blog “Love2Ride” back in July, 2005, which was read by everyone. He did mountain bike endurance events, crits, Ironcross, road races and gave hours of his time to clean up trails. He never met a stranger. He never brought attention to himself, he always gave to others.

JB – We miss you, we all loved you. May you rest in peace.

BJ aka Podium Cat

A photoshow has been created in JB's honor. You can view it at:

http://www.photoshow.com/watch/Hk7WM3GD

We Conquered the Canal and the Langley Speedway as well!

2010-04-11T17:12:00.000-07:00

There was an amazing turnout on Saturday for the Conquer the Canal time trial. 13 of our girls were able to test their skills in a 12 mile out and back course along the Dismal Swamp. This race filled to capacity early in the week so we’re glad our girls all chose to pre-register and be a part of this great race. Everyone performed well in all categories.

Laura, Ali and B J were the top 3 female times of the day.
The race results are as follows:

CAT 1-2-3
1st Laura 29:00
2nd Ali 29:52

CAT 4
5th Karen 32:52
6th Roberta 33:54
12th Lisa 37:36

40 plus
1st BJ 30:37
8th Barb V. 35:43
9th Suszann 35:53
12th Claudia 37:02
14th Susan 38:00
15th Wendie 38:17
16th Donna 38:30
17th Christy 39:07

LANGLEY CRIT

26 ladies showed up today for the Langley Speedway Crit. Rumor has it that times were fast. Laura and Ali got up the road quickly and did what they do best – get away and keep going! Everyone kept the rubber down so it was nice to race with a safe crowd. In the end, Laura took 1st , Ali took 2nd, BJ got 4th in the 40 plus women and Suszann took 6th in the Cat 4. It was a great weekend for racing and thanks to FAT FROGS for an outstanding job.

Well done ladies. Well done indeed!!!

Smithfield HAMmerfest

2010-04-04T17:23:00.000-07:00

Looks like that chocolate bunny that Ali won at Jeff Cup fueled her for a first place finish at the 1st ever Smithfield Hammerfest Crit. The word on the block has it that it was a technical and challenging course with a nice uphill climb to make it even more challenging. Although there were crashes in some of the races, the women came out unscathed. Attempts were made to break up the race but none of them really worked. At the end Ali rode off with the win with the help of teammate Laura. Great job to both of you for keeping our team on the map and also showing great team tactics.

One of our upcoming stars, Suszann, was also out there holding her own in the CAT 4 race making it look easy. We are proud that you are learning your way on a crit course and look for great things from you in the crits, road races and time trials ahead!

Happy Easter to everyone.

Jeff Cup 2010

2010-04-01T16:59:00.000-07:00

Ali and Laura went up to Charlottesville for the Jefferson Cup Road Race on Sunday. It was cold. They were cold. They tried to warm up. They were still cold. They raced with about 30 women. They raced 40 miles. They tried to break-away. But the other women pulled them back in. It rained. It was wet. Then it stopped raining. Then it started raining again. They were still wet, but now wetter. It came down to a field sprint. Ali took 2nd overall and 1st for the Category 3 women (YEAH!) and came home with the coveted Jeff Cup and Chocolate Bunny! Laura took 3rd overall and 2nd for the Cat 1-2 women. After the race Ali and Laura were both very cold again. They finally warmed up after changing clothes. And then they ate pizza. And then they sang to the Rolling Stones and Violent Femmes all the way home to Virginia Beach. Laura found a four-leaf clover at the rest stop on the way home. Ali thought it was a fake. Check out the picture to see for yourself. And that was Ali and Laura's Jefferson Cup Road Race experience. The END.

Laura Cook Goes Pro!!

2010-03-19T17:12:00.001-07:00

One of our own has been chosen to be a part of the Vanderkitten Pro Team in 2010! See the Press Release below.

Vanderkitten Announces 2010 Roster and Sponsors

Vanderkitten Presented by Kenda revealed the 2010 Road Team kit and sponsorship line-up today at http://vanderkittenracing.com/. “This season is about streamlining our program, building on our consecutive USA Crits Team Titles, supporting our National Championship winning athletes, and continuing to gain exposure for Women’s Cycling outside of the racing community” said David Verrecchia, Vanderkitten Creator.

“We will continue to build upon our long-term partnership with Kenda and Storck Bicycles, combining our resources to promote Women’s cycling by developing a program that will help launch cyclists to new levels” added Vanderkitten Managing Director, Mark Zefeldt.

Vanderkitten Racing also adds an “official” mountain bike squad of Barbara Howe and Shannon Holden focusing on endurance and multi-day stage races in the dirt. The MTB squad will also ride Kenda tires, Easton and SRAM just like the Road team, in addition to the impressive Ibis Mojo SL and Tranny Carbon frames.

“The Ibis relationship has been so easy and so supportive it was a natural evolution to take what we did in Cross, and apply it to Mountain for Vanderkitten” adds Barbara Howe of Vanderkitten.

Vanderkitten/Kenda’s Road sponsor list includes Vanderkitten Clothing, Kenda Tires, Storck Bicycles, Easton Components, Giro Helmets and accessories, Motortabs, SRAM, Tifosi eyewear, Relegate Coffee and the Hawley Company.

Vanderkitten’s Roster includes: Captain Jennifer Reither, Jennifer Wilson, Anna Lang, Starla Teddergreen, Erika Graves, Barbara Howe, Shannon Holden, Haley Beann and Laura Cook.

Vanderkitten Racing was established in 2007 to promote Women’s cycling and create a sustainable model of top-level athletic participation for women.

Anything But Dismal!

2010-03-14T17:03:00.000-07:00

It’s hard to believe that just a year ago we fought wind, rain and cold temps at the 2009 DD Time Trial. It was so dismal lots of us found ourselves not even able to warm up because the tents were no shelter for the rain coming at us sidewise. Luckily for all of us, this year was a different story. After checking weather for the last week which at one time called for rain, we were pleasantly surprised to have the temps in the 50s, a bit of a headwind out, but no rain in sight. The only small distraction were a few dogs who had enough sense to stay out of the road. 25 ladies signed up in all categories and the beach Vanderkittens took 12 of those spots. Laura, Ali and BJ had the 3 fastest times of all the registered women.

Results for our team

CAT 1-2-3

1st – Laura – 1:02:44
2nd – Ali – 1:06:06

CAT 4

3rd –Karen – 1:15:17
4th – Roberta – 1:15:30
7th – Suszann – 1:22:46

Masters

1st – BJ – 1:06:43
4th – Claudia – 1:22:51
6th – Barb V. – 1:24:36
7th – Susan – 1:24:39
9th – Donna – 1:28:14
10th – Wendie – 1:29:13
11 – Christy – 1:29:25

Great job to the race promoters!

Snowball Crit #2

2010-03-08T12:37:00.000-08:00

Another great day weather-wise for Snowball Crit #2 yesterday. Looked to be about 20 women who showed up for this one…most of the same riders from two weeks ago with at least two out of town girls making a road trip to participate in this last local training race. Some break attempts were made early on by Laura, Ali and a couple of others which provided some short lived division of the field but eventually everyone came back together. On a Cat 4 prime lap, one rider headed out without chase from anyone, took the prime and as it turned out, also took several more laps solo. She eventually got about a 17 second lead from the group so with about 8 laps to go, an effort was made to bridge up to her. It succeeded ultimately and a group of five at that time then began trying to hold the gap for the remainder of the race.

Cook sat in with the field & timed her move to bridge up to the lead group. Another rider followed on her own at some point thereafter bringing the total to seven women for the last 2 laps. Coming into the back stretch the sprint started right before the straightaway and a hard effort was given by everyone. In the end, Cook took 2nd and Ali came in 4th.

Team effort out there with racers and supporters!

Roberta, Ali, BJ & Laura

First BAR race of the year coming up next weekend: Dismal Dash Time Trial. Hope to have a lot of VK team members entered and racing against the clock!

Richmond International Raceway Criterium Race Report

2010-03-02T17:29:00.000-08:00

Kudos to Team Nature's Path for securing the Richmond International Raceway for a crit this past Saturday. Very cool venue. Ali and Laura headed up to race in the women's open, with a field of 31 riders at the starting line. There was a brutal headwind on the backside of the track, and a nice tailwind coming into the finishing straight of the 3/4 mile track. Several break attempts were made, the one that finally stuck was a solo effort by Ali from the inside. With four or five laps to go the field didn't bring her back in and she came in solo for the WIN. Laura managed to take the field sprint for second place.

A couple of our competitors ran into some trouble and were involved in a crash. Heal fast, compadres!

First Race, First Place!

2010-02-22T15:02:00.000-08:00

What a way to start off the season & a beautiful day as it turned out for the Snowball Crit #1. Field of eighteen showed that the local women are ready to get things going. Thanks to VBV and the Tradewinds founder who implemented a separate women’s open race this year.

Capn Cook, Suszann and I showed up to get outside (finally!) and test the legs. This was Suszann’s first race as a new member & she did a great job holding her own while having fun. Talking afterward it was clear that she’s excited about the season and we’re stoked to have her on board. First half of the race seemed pretty standard with a steady pace and the group staying together. Close to midway, there were a couple of break attempts but nothing stuck for long. I was up ahead with another racer in one of those breaks when a smaller group pulled away and started to close the gap. El Cap had been leading off the front most the time and at some point decided to split from them and make a clean bridge up to us. We rounded a couple of laps as three and then she turned on the burners again. Dropped us efficiently and finished the last 6 laps by herself! During that solo effort, the field caught up to the two of us which eventually led to a sprint for the line. Third place finish for me.

Lastly and appropriately so, another first took place yesterday as Capn Cook talked me into doing the Men 3/4 race. Have to say that I did enjoy the experience & think I found a new name for myself along the way.

No doubt this was the first of many great days of racing ahead! Nice job by all the promoters & racers!

Caboose Cat

Match Made in Heaven

2010-01-26T08:20:00.000-08:00

Heading out on the Saturday morning ride, PC was telling me more about the lil Vanderkitty & it dawned on me that I might know some prospective parents....my own! They'd been talking about adopting a furry friend last year but never found the perfect match or felt like the timing was right. So when I told them about her that afternoon, I was pretty sure that was as far as it would go...little did I know they'd be driving her home less than 48 hours later!

From all accounts, mine included (as I had to b-line it to their house to meet her), she's taken to them as much as they have to her. It was great to

see how comfortable she was there already and how much they were enjoying her company! Seems as though it was meant to be the way everything fell into place - including the name they gave her...Weezie. This was my grandma's (Eloise) nickname, who passed away last year at 100 years of age; she was the fabric of our family, loved by all & lit up every room she entered.

How fitting!

Ali Kat

Vanderkitty Needs A Home!!!

2010-01-22T19:02:00.000-08:00

It’s not often that a stray cat walks into my store but last Wednesday that’s just what happened. Over the past week we had heard a cat crying but didn’t know where he/she was living. When the sun finally came out on Wednesday, so did the cat from under our store. This kitty is a young female who looks to be in excellent health. She acts more like a dog than a cat, following everyone around wherever they go. She doesn’t cat nap and doesn’t mind the cold. She can even stand on her hind legs. She has a tortoise shell/tabby coat, is part Persian, with a magnificent tail, has a great stripe down her nose and a purr that is as quiet as a mouse. If you live near the beach and want a kitty to keep you company, I’ve got the one for you. We have named her Topaz but I’m sure she wouldn’t mind if you changed her name as long as you feed and love her.

WARNING - if you look at these pictures, you will soon own a cat.

Peter Teeuwen Cycling Award

2010-01-10T16:50:00.000-08:00

Congratulations goes to Laura, our Cheetah and Captain, for receiving the very coveted Peter Teeuwen Cycling Award today. We are all proud of you and all that you have done for cycling this past year. The Vanderkittens thank you for your leadership to our club and look forward to a great year ahead with you at our helm!

We also want to thank Bob Devich for taking the photo of Laura receiving her award.

Cats Gone Wild

2010-01-07T16:53:00.000-08:00

Maybe it's the weather but I'm not so sure. Cabin Fever has set in and when it's in the 20's in VA Beach, the Vanderkittens just don't know what to do. I've asked some of our felines what they are doing and I had immediate response with pages of their training schedules. These girls are very busy and are making every moment count. I'm not going to share our training secrets with all, but want to share the most important.

We have one who is hoarding nuts until Summer, relaxing and thinking about a trip somewhere warm. Planning to kick ass in a month.

We have one who is also using the deep elbow bend aka the Hand to Mouth Exercise. She's seeing immediate results in the mirror.

We're a breed that starts watching the weather channel for as long as we're watching spinning tapes. We're growing. We're felines. What else would you expect???

Winter Training - Brrrrrr

2010-01-05T06:36:00.000-08:00

Most cats don’t like the cold and my cat, Tiffany, is no exception. She spends her January days going from the fireplace to sleeping on heat vents. In my next life I hope I come back as a cat so I can sleep all day long.

The bumper crop of acorns means a cold winter ahead and it’s definitely here. Temps in the 20s for a few days in a row means most of our riders at the beach have had to dust off their trainers and use their tapes for training. Erika has been leading spinning classes over at Bike Beat with some of our cats while Roberta has been doing the same at Inlet Fitness. Barbi Cat has been spending time in her garage with others spinning away. The pool at the Great Neck rec center is a home away from home for Kelly, Donna, Winnie, Claudia and Sherry. Winnie is collecting winter gear so she can soon brave the elements of January and start riding outdoors.

The cold obviously isn’t bothering Suszann one bit because she bundled up and attempted an outdoor run. Unfortunately she stumbled over a glob of hardened cement and went down. She hobbled home and jumped on her trainer and decided that staying indoors is safer for her although cabin fever has set in. She’s even named her trainer “Wilson” and needs the warm weather to rescue her.

I have put in more miles on my trainer in the last 2 weeks than I did all of last year. Although the temps usually don’t bother me, patches of ice on the road give me reason to stay inside as well. I have decided to pack up the family and take a vacation to Jamaica where I will cross train by swimming up to the bar to get an umbrella drink!

Belated Birthday wishes to Sherry, our Lynx Cat, who celebrated her birthday on December 29. We hope you had a special day and promise to give you a birthday spanking when we see you next!

Podium Cat

2010 Resolutions

2010-01-01T10:09:00.000-08:00

It’s time to clean out the closets and get rid of the old, to make room for the new. It’s also that day of the year when everyone needs to put together their New Year’s resolutions for 2010 and hopefully stick to them for as long as possible. I polled some of our felines to see what 2010 has in store for them and here are a few !

Eat more ice cream
Gain weight
Drink more water – drink less wine
Drink more wine – drink less water
Sell their bikes
Have 1 less chin
Manage time better, volunteer more and turn back the hands of time (with the big 40 coming)
Take nothing too seriously the whole year
Learn to ride with a large group, make decisions quicker and keep in touch with friends.
Learn to shift gears, increase speed to ride with the B group, go on several out of town bike trips and lose weight before the VK kits arrive.
Be nice
Make a new recipe every week
Do 100 sit ups a day
Log in bike miles for the whole year
Change a flat
Update VK blog weekly

Happy 2010 from all of us to all of you!

Kitty Cat Christmas

2009-12-14T12:51:00.000-08:00

Rainy skies didn't keep the cats from getting all dressed up to celebrate the holidays at Barb and Albie’s lovely home. It was so nice to catch up with everyone since we’ve all been going in different directions over the last few months. It was so nice to have Vanda back with us after a long stay at the hospital. She received a very nice birthday present from her husband which was a puppy. Our team now has another mascot.

Congratulations to Summer for graduating from JMU on Saturday. She’s actively pursuing a job of interest at this time and hopefully will have some good news very soon! Congratulations to her parents, Barb and Jim, for raising such an exceptional daughter.

Our club manager Barb, and her assistant and neighbor Ann Kay, were busy making party favors so that our club members wouldn't go home empty handed. Thanks for taking the time out of your busy schedules to make sure your team mates had a keepsake. We will treasure our handpainted wine glasses and will put them to good use over the holidays.

Jennifer once again did an amazing job on the cake. Her business is booming and she's already booked for wedding cakes well into the fall of next year. When Jennifer's not baking she's staying finely tuned by bellydancing, another sport that keeps her as fit as a fiddle.

Our club has grown to 40 of absolutely amazing women. What started as a handful has turned into a tight knit group of women who have become friends both on and off the bike!

Podium Cat

Quiet Before the Storm

2009-12-03T17:42:00.000-08:00

Tropical storm Ida made her way to the beach and played havoc. While lots of us wanted to be on the road riding our bikes, most of us found our way cleaning up yards full of debris, water damage to our homes because we live in low lying area and roads that just wouldn't drain because there was no place for all that water to go. We had some on our team that had to face adverse conditions and had to do without water and power. We're all thankful that Ida has gone and made way to sunny skies.

The kittens have finished their race season and everyone is doing their own thing getting ready for next year. Congratulations to Ali Cat for her upgrade to CAT 3. Congratulations to Ali for winning the CAT 4 BAR. Congratulations to Laura for winning the CAT 1,2,3 BAR. Congratulations to our team for winning the women’s BAR for VA Cycling.

We have had more clinics getting our new kittens comfortable with pace line riding. They are also learning about mountain biking. They can now all change their flat tires in record times. Our team numbers have grown from a handful to somewhere in the 30s. These felines are ready to tow the line. With the help and instruction of our team captain, Cheetah Cook, they will be more than ready for race season next year.

Along with the good comes the bad. Our Zipp Cat, Vanda, has spent more time in the hospital the last month than most spend on their bikes in a season. Plagued with some blood clot issues that just won’t go away, she had to resort to surgery to help her on her road to recovery. After 20 days in the hospital it looks like Vanda will be going home soon. Unfortunately she had to miss Thanksgiving with her family, but the good news is that she’ll be home for her birthday this Sunday. Vanda, you are an inspiration to all because of the way you handled the adverse conditions handed to you. Your infectious smile had everyone grinning and while we were out on the road doing our thing, you were acting as the “Mayor” of the 4th floor at VB General keeping everyone in line.

No sooner did we almost get Vanda out of the 4th floor, when Matt (JRVS) became one of Vanda’s neighbors, by taking a nasty fall on an AM ride. Matt was on fire taking his pull in a sprint zone, when unfortunately his front wheel hit a pothole the same time he was looking over his shoulder to make sure the lane was free. Matt went flying over his handlebars at 28 mph and ended up breaking his collarbone in 2 places, 6 broken ribs and a broken thumb. He collapsed a lung and had to have a tube inserted to reinflate his lung. When I went to see him today he was in good spirits but swore off morphine. This specimen was able to handle the pain on his own and hopes to say Good Bye to the 4th floor this Saturday. The Vanderkittens are glad Matt is on the road to recovery and look forward to him leading us on our group rides soon.

Warm weather is over. Cool temps linger ahead. Snow is in Charlottesville. Xmas countdown has started. 23 days until Santa arrives. My wish list has been posted. Health and happiness to all.

Peace.

Podium Cat Gone Bad!

The Devil is in the Details

2009-10-27T18:42:00.000-07:00

Headed up to the 22nd Annual Tidewater Mountain Bike Challenge on Sunday for the once a year opportunity to ride on some sweet singletrack that's been carved out in the woods of someone's private property. The 4 mile loop provides a garden variety of what you find on any given trail but the unique "gravity cavity" sections are my favorite because they're not only fast & fun, they're set up to let your momentum do most of the work for you! The course is perfect for spectators, even providing some spots where you can see a few different sections of the trail from one vantage point. With Ingram, El Cap & new cat Karen there to cheer our friends and me on, I had great support to go along with the prime conditions (both weather & trail).

The expert women class was set for 5 laps. I've been mountain biking for many years now but never got into the racing aspect of it. That said, I think my green horns (costumes were encouraged) were aptly worn that day at the start. I got caught up in the back & fumbled a bit riding so close to each other, had some reoccuring shifting issues and then topped it all off with an unsecured rear wheel skewer (that I noticed about half way into the 1st lap after dismounting to reset my chain that had come off). Good stuff. Finally got the kinks worked out and caught back up to the pack. Don't know for sure where we were when I manuevered my way up to the front but I do know I was glad to get there. The familiar feeling of being out on a trail with no one too close by helped to temporarily distract me from the uncertainty of the not knowing just how close "too close" was. I settled in on a pace that I was able to maintain and tried to keep count by remembering how many times I got to hit the jumps (another favorite

section). Managed to hold on to the lead for the remainder of the race & can honestly say I had a blast along the way!

This race was not only about the ridiculously fun course the promoter et al set up out there but it was equally about the easy going air circulating through those woods. Mountain bikers are all about having a good time and it shows, especially at this race. Already looking forward to signing up next year but I'm hoping it'll be the Duo-Enduro class with Cheetah...thinking we should enter as the "Flying Feral Felines" but there's plenty of time for deciding on that.

Thanks to everyone whose efforts pulled off yet another successful year in this long standing event & thanks to the other girls who raced...the quality over quantity concept was once again in full effect, making for another enjoyable experience from start to finish!

Ali Cat

P.S. Mysterio Muggler is da Man!

Meet and Greet – We’ve got new Kittens!

2009-10-09T16:52:00.000-07:00

Club Manager, Barbi Cat, hosted our 2nd annual” Meet and Greet” welcoming some of the new kittens to our club team. Once again, our membership has grown to include some of the brightest stars. Coming from every walk of life, our club welcomes Christy, a children’s dentist from Norfolk who loves to ski along with riding her bike. Holly has been raising a family while putting her cycling on hold for almost 7 years. We welcome her, and her Softride Bike, out on the road and look forward to watching her long ponytail going airborne when she’s on her bike. Sherry and Iris come to us as “2 peas in a pod”, training early in the AM as well as sharing a friendship on the side. They are triathletes and found us surfing the net while looking for “cat” stuff. Erika aka Miss P, is our Latin teacher and part time bike shop employee who enjoys triathlons. She’ll be a great example to all of her students as the teacher who is well rounded. Gabby is our realtor who will take our team to a new level. She’s a multi-talented athlete and gives it her all no matter what sport she’s doing. We look forward to her making her mark as a CAT 4 next year. Jacqui is a competitor and you can tell that when you look in her eyes. A very strong runner who is now switching to cycling, she’ll be a great addition to our team once she toes the line at any race she does. Suszann is on fire and will represent us well in the 40 plus category. She not only has a strong desire to do crits and time trials, but wants to do them well! Although some of our newest felines couldn’t make the 2nd annual "Meet and Greet" we also want to welcome Jennifer, owner of Shockley’s Sweet Shoppe. She will be the sweetest addition to our pride. We understand that her business is booming – a great thing for her as long as she gets time out of the kitchen so she can spend more time on her bike! Karen, a local triathlete who is a great competitor, will also be joining us next year. She wasn’t able to make it to our meeting at Barb’s because she was out training in the mountains, but we look forward to great things from our resident pharmacist as a strong CAT 4 next year.

If you are interested in joining our fast growing club team, please contact Barb at BarbC147@aol.com for more information.

Love Gettin' Dirty

2009-09-29T08:28:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year....prime for getting off the roads & on the trails! The leaves will soon be changing and there's nothing better than making some road trips to take it all in. With that in mind, El Cap and I headed up to Freedom Park on Sunday to meet up with a few folks and practice our A,B,Cs (trail designation).

It was a little wet with some puddling in sections but for the most part the area drains pretty nicely. When you connect the trails together, there are about eleven miles of well maintained singletrack - thanks to EVMA. Nice options throughout so you can do as little or as much as you want. We decided to taper down (A/B/C, then A/B, then A). Neither we nor the trail were worse for wear afterward - though we did get a little dirty as you can tell from this pic. As is most often the case, the second loop proved to be better (this time it was due not just to typical progression but also because the trail was drying up and getting faster). Still a challenge with slick roots and a few squirrelly sections to keep us focused.

This was Cheetah's third trip up there (after many years of strictly road riding) but you'd never know it. She's been riding borrowed bikes and will hopefully be getting her own soon because she's definitely got what it takes - obvious cardio & handling skills but even more key to me...mental fortitude. I've always been thankful that I got into mtbing when I was younger & took more chances (read dumb). Now that we're older & seemingly wiser, it takes all of those elements above to get out there & give it a go because trail riding inherently holds potential for spills with all that you encounter but it's one hell of a ride!

Had a great time mixing it up & am looking forward to many more miles o' smiles...

See you in the woods!

Ali Cat

Patriots Half Iron Man Report

2009-09-18T06:36:00.000-07:00

A sleepless night, a crisp cool morning, the two mile car ride to the race site, wet dewy grass and an amazing sense of calm is how this half ironman started for me. Setting up transition in the dark was challenging. However, with the music blaring all these motivational rock n roll tunes, it was hard not to get excited. We had scoped out the scene the day before so when the announcement was made that the swim would be in reverse we breathed a sigh of relief knowing we would not have to run over concrete back to transition, but we still did have probably a 125 yard run up a slight hill from the swim exit to the transition area. We are petitioning that next year they call it the 71.3 Patriots HIM.

Making the trek down to the swim start is always a bit surreal for me. I said to myself– Well Claudia, you’ve gone and done it again; you sign up for these races and then you get to this point and you feel like you don’t want to do it. Despite the fact that this was a goal for me I still felt the same. I have yet to go to a race where I haven’t felt this way – like buyers remorse, only racers remorse. In any case, the ground was wet and my feet were freezing which is maybe why the water felt so warm at first touch, a welcome feeling. The heats started going off – I was heat 5; so I had plenty of time to try to determine which angle I wanted to take out to the first buoy, which by the way seemed like a million miles away, much less the fourth one where we would make our first turn. The gun started and we were off, the swim was really a no brainer for me. Swim, sight, swim sight…it felt rather effortless and I really like swimming in fresh water as opposed to bay swims in salt water. Really the only problem I encountered other than swimming against the current the first leg of the swim was the sun shining in our eyes on the last two legs and being completely blinded trying to see the buoy. I relied on the swimmers ahead of me and hoped they were seeing the buoy better than me! Finally I felt the ground and looked up. It was very shallow but quite a ways to go until the shoreline. I opted to swim in as far as I could go rather than fight the resistance of me in my wetsuit against the water. I think this was a smart decision. I wound up 2nd out of the water in my age group. I knew I was doing well when I saw a large group of caps from two heats ahead of me, I didn’t realize I had done that well, but was really pleased. Swim times in general were really slow compared to past years, which leads me to believe the current either screwed us all up or the swim was longer than it was supposed to be. Nevertheless, although I wasn’t pleased with my time, I was pleased with my placement.

Transition seemed like it took forever. The good thing was my rack was right next to the bike start. So I got my shoes and socks on, helmet, glitter headband of my daughters to help motivate me, gels, gloves and I was off. I was freezing the first 10 miles of the ride from the cool morning air and my dripping wet body. It felt like somewhat of a dream and I thought well here I am on the bike, that swim felt easier than Breezy Point and wow, I have 56 miles ahead of me….doot da doo…what should I think about. I truly can not recall what occupied my thoughts during this bike ride. The aggravating wind took up some of my thoughts and I even verbally expressed my disgust using a few choice words to no one in particular during the ride although a few people who actually heard me concurred. One girl in particular who felt the need to play cat and mouse with me took up some of my thoughts. She would slow down, I would pass then she’d speed up…aarrrgghhh – make up your mind woman. She eventually passed me for good but when she did pass me every time she would cut me off and I almost wonder if she’s the reason I got assessed for drafting despite the fact that I moved away from her every time and said something to her, she continued this the whole race. Whatever, the mile markers came faster than I thought and I was pleasantly surprised by my bike performance. The fact that this was the course I had ridden for the Cap2Cap century ride probably had a lot to do with my comfort level on the course. Like I said, the wind was the only real aggravation and I didn’t even mind having to go over and back the Chickahominy Bridge despite the fact that it’s pretty big.
Watching my time I knew I’d come fairly close to my goal time of three hours but bike transition was tricky and the last 100 yards or so was on this bumpy, pothole infested path so I lost track of my time.

Run transition felt fine, not overly long but not as speedy as I had hoped. I tried to keep my coaches words in my head, start slower than you think you need to. I had to stop right at the start of the run to use the restroom as my body wouldn’t cooperate in the water or on the bike. Then I was off. Slow and steady I told myself but I could tell already I wasn’t thrilled with the course. It was kind of like the V-day 14K where you could see where you had to go and people coming back, too much criss-crossing in my opinion and this whole two loops thing is for the birds. The one thing I did like was the trail running part through the woods which we got to do twice, although the second loop through found me crossing the path with a flying leap at one point to avoid the copperhead snake that decided to slither across and jack up my heart rate! I’d like to say I negative split the run even just a little but I didn’t really pay attention. Around mile 7 my hip started acting up and from there on it was just a matter of hurry up and finish. I got to the last part where I could hear the crowds and immediately saw my family standing and cheering for me. My left inner quad muscle had started seizing up by then but I didn’t care. With the finish line in sight I smiled and sped up and crossed the line with a total finish time of 5:57:35 and a ½ marathon time of 2:05. I was handed a cold bottle of water and a cold wet towel by some wonderful volunteer and a medal was placed around my neck by another (after all that is really the only reason I do these things!); Erika – my friend and training partner was waiting for me right at the finish line and we hugged each other and high fived and rejoiced in what we had just accomplished!

Overall it was an amazing sense of personal accomplishment. It is something I will certainly do again. I received many different tidbits of advice but just want to thank my friend Eve for telling me to enjoy the scenery which I did, and Julie (Cali cat) for reminding me to have fun. I thought about what she had said remembering Daniel Hersch during her Angel’s Race and it certainly made the painful moments seem less painful. I would have never had the discipline to improve my cycling as much as I did had Erika not been such a faithful cycling buddy and overall amazing friend. My coach Denise deserves the biggest thanks for encouraging me and challenging me with my workouts, and believing that I could do it. Last but certainly most important is my amazing husband Ross for giving me time to train, encouragement and support and being my best friend and cheerleader through this all. I was proud to wear the Vanderkitten logo and get out there and kick ass. Despite my bike penalty for drafting – I still managed to get 6th (should have been 5th – darn penalty) in my age group and I took second out of the water in my age group! I’m excited to have some time off and looking forward to the challenges that next season will bring! Until then ladies, ride fast, take chances and kick some ass! - Claudia

Season Finale!

2009-09-06T13:27:00.001-07:00

Last night we celebrated the end of a very successful season at our Smitten Kitten's home with most of our felines in attendance. Our very cool VK Tent was up for all to see and even decorated with twinkling lights. Smitten Kitten and her manderkitten Steve outdid themselves by having a purrfect yard, purrfect lawn ornaments and lots of food and drink for all.

We had a few speeches, we had a few awards and one of us shed tears of joy for what was a very special season. The evening was topped off with a slideshow of photos on and off the bike which brought oohs and aahs by everyone. Thank you Mitten Kitten for making the show and music a work of art.

Although everyone was recognized for their efforts this season, 2 of our cats stood above all else when it came to racing. Laura was recognized for winning the CAT 1,2,3, BAR and Ali was recognized for winning the CAT 4 BAR. The team was also delighted to receive the coveted Womens Team BAR award from VA Cycling. Barb, our Club Manager, was awarded a photo album of this year's highlights. Wendie, one of or newest, outdid herself by making sashes for the winners which would rival sashes given out at a Miss America Pageant.

Our evening ended on a sweet note when we saw the cake that Jennifer Shockley had made for our dessert. Words can't describe it so I hope this picture will!

Mission Accomplished!

2009-08-27T12:50:00.000-07:00

It seems like yesterday when the concept of a club team for Vanderkitten at the beach was being bounced around. The idea of an all women’s team, who would be giving 100% of their financial support to the pro team, was new to all of us. Those who came to join the first club for Vanderkitten had many reasons for joining as well as varying levels of cycling fitness. The first order of business when setting up the team was to have a mission statement that worked for us, which was to “support women in their cycling endeavors, whatever they may be”. We are proud to say that our inaugural year of Vanderkittens at the beach surpassed all our hopes and dreams. Not only did we grow from a handful of girls to almost 30, every girl on the team had the support from all the others, so they all felt special. Our race team was small and almost unbeatable. We had members that were in their teens and we had grandmothers as well. Our felines that chose not to race found themselves comfortable in group rides getting to know each other and finding confidence in their ability to join in and be a part of something big. We found that we had triathletes who used our training rides to get better. We had runners who found their race times getting faster. We had ladies who went from beach cruisers to road bikes without missing a beat. We even had some who joined our team to be able to wear the coveted Vanderkitten kit. We are proud of each and every one of you.

The race season is winding down and fall training has started. The weather is about to turn cool so that centuries will be the ride of choice. The Vanderkittens will be seen sporting their kits up and down the East Coast. We want to thank Dave Verrecchia, the owner and creator of Vanderkitten Racing, for making this dream come true!

Third Time's No Charm But...

2009-08-12T07:36:00.000-07:00

...what a great course! It had a little bit of everything: flats, rollers, climbs, descents. The Page Valley road race this past Sunday brought together racers from the MABRA & VAC to compete for the championship in each division. There was a good turnout for the Cat 4 group with a total of 18 girls entering. As a flatlander, I knew going into it that I was in for some pain...didn't know until that third & final climb, however, just how much.

Thankfully we had an 8:05 a.m. start b/c the day turned out to be a roaster. Our first lap was pretty non-eventful...think it may have broken up the group a bit though (guessing 18 down to 10 but don't hold me to it). Second lap proved to be more interesting as the pace picked up during different flat sections in an effort to break down the number even more. Though several attempts were made, none were seemingly successful (again, as far as I could tell).

On the back side of the course we descended again around 45 mph to head for the last 1/2 lap. One of the girls and I made the sharp right turn at the bottom and tried to get a gap going. A girl from another team joined in and the three of us managed some space for a few flat stretches. Unfortunately the effort was for naught as we couldn't hold long enough to make any ground on them so we all embraced the glorious journey up that initial climb together (for the 3rd & final time). Managed to find some(demented)humor along the way when a little help was requested at the front and a taker emerged up the middle. Problem was, once she got the space, she just kept on going & dropped us like a sack of potatoes. She was kept close enough that with some extra effort we bridged up to her just before the top.

Then as we crested & started shifting for the downhill, another girl pulled through on the outside and the chase was on. Kind of felt like we all got caught sleeping but maybe it was just me. So, here's my blow by blow at that point: try to catch her on the downhill but she’s holding the gap, turn into a straightaway, still has the gap. Realize that I'm feeling pretty spent now & better get off of the front to conserve what little I have left. With that, the pack of maybe 7 or 8 now(?) comes around me on the outside to go into the last turn (a sharp left). Lead girl in our chase group goes down in the turn due to speed & gravel. She slides out but I'm on the inside so I clear the accident and head for the dreaded uphill finish. In and out of the saddle trying to close in on the leader but not getting anywhere fast. Resign myself to 2nd if I'm lucky (because I'm sure I could have run that bike up faster). Look back & see that I'm in the crosshairs of another girl who's on the move. Dig down but it's not there - might as well have been in quicksand the way she passes me. You know you're hurtin' for certain when that happens and you can't even muster up the energy to be discouraged about it! Finally cross that $@#% line and end up 3rd overall, 2nd in the VAC division.

All in all I had a great time (easier to say now of course) & will definitely do it again next year - just with more training on hills beforehand so the pain will at least be familiar. Very happy to report that the rider who went down was okay & what’s more, she got back on her bike & finished the race! It was a strong showing for Cat 4 out there in my opinion & who knows how it would have turned out had she not crashed (doubtful I would have faired as well). Big thanks to her, her teammate & the rest of the girls who worked hard to make the race so challenging! I'm a broken record but I think it's worth noting again how quality the girls are that I’ve met this year. It's made my first season of racing truly enjoyable!

Oh yeah, the camera battery was dead so I apologize for the lack of pictures documenting my many grimaces but I think the photo below captures my race face quite well.

Ali Cat a/k/a Ramblin' Rose

PLT TT’s 1 - 3 (Mute Vandertunes player to hear video)

2009-08-04T00:08:00.000-07:00

A Special thanks to our Manderkitten and my husband David, for the following video footage of the Peter Teeuwen Memorial 23 Mile Omnium Time Trials 2009 Presented by: Velo Racing on Sunday’s June 14th, July 26th and August 2nd (aged-graded state championship). I had the pleasure to participate in all three PLT’s, and as we all know, Vanderkitten made an impressively strong presence in the Cat 1,2,3, Cat 4 and 40+classes per the previous blogs. I now truly understand why TT’s are considered “the race of truth”!!! Please enjoy the videos. Meow
Zipp Cat

PLT #1 Time Trial (Peter L. Teeuwen) from David Kennedy on Vimeo.

PLT #2 from David Kennedy on Vimeo.

PLT #3 (State Championships) from David Kennedy on Vimeo.

Triathlon’s “Tour de PA”

2009-08-03T23:25:00.000-07:00

Philadelphia “Diva” Women’s Triathlon

July 12, 2009
This time this kitty kat had to go at it alone, as I decided to do a “Tour de PA” of sorts. I started off in Philadelphia, PA competing in the Women’s “Diva” Triathlon. There were approximately 1,000 women from all walks of life. Unfortunately, for me, the night before the race, it poured down rain and caused them to cancel the swim, thus transforming the race into a duathlon. Those of you that know me well know that running is my weakness…ugggh run 2 miles, bike 17, then run another 5K (3.1 miles). Nonetheless, I tried to remain a “cool cat” and did what I had to do to complete the race to the best of my ability. I finished with a respectable time of 2:11, not so bad for kitty without running legs. The bike course was AWESOME!!! 2 loops around Fairmount Park, along the river and past the Art Museum that the Rocky movie made so famous. Since the race was now a duathlon, had no way to compare it to last year’s results for a PR, however, I did improve my bike time by almost 2 minutes for the 17 miles. That’s saying a lot considering how much running, before the bike, took out of my legs. I attribute my bike time to becoming a part of Vanderkitten Cycling this Spring. Prrrrrrrrrr!!! I decided to create my own VK tri suit before moving upward & westward.

Johnstown YMCA Triathlon July 18, 2009
Onward with my PA tour, moving west across the state to my hometown of Johnstown, PA, due southeast of Pittsburgh, PA. A glutton for punishment, competing in my second triathlon in the same week. If that wasn’t enough, this one was unusual in that the bike portion was and unprecedented 21 miles through the Allegheny Mountains. Ok, I admit I hate running, but climbing on a bike is certainly not a strong point for me by a long shot. I thought “wouldn’t this kitty kat look cute in a red polka dot jersey???” This same mountain brought me to my knees (literally) back in 2007, where I had to dismount and gather myself. At that time I had only been riding two months. It certainly didn’t help seeing signs on the side of the road letting you know that this was an “aggressive driver high crash zone” and this was the biggest gap this side of the Mississippi (1,000 ft. drop over the edge) gulp!!! The Swim was a short pool swim of 400 meters and on to the mountains I went. I took off like a bobcat for the first few miles leaving town. The climbs were unlike I recalled, with a top speed of 9 mph on most steep climbs and as low as 7 mph. I have never felt the base of my lungs ache so deeply in my life.After about 6 major climbs, things began rolling again and one major downhill at 40 mph, before heading back into the city. I made it…and I never stopped moving. I knocked off about 5 minutes from that last attempt in 2007. My legs felt like I had recently been in a “cat fight” as I pushed forward to complete the 5K run. Upon viewing the posted results of my 14th triathlon, I had actually won a 3rd place medal, my first ever!!! My time was 2:18 and oh how good it felt to have my name called, get my medal, and all with my makeshift Vanderkitten tri suit. My husband David was such a great Manderkitty, as he followed me in my friends van, and taped my journey through the Allegheny’s. This video footage was like catnip next to my bronze medal.

Zipp Cat

Whirlwind Weekend for VK

2009-08-02T18:49:00.000-07:00

Friday night had the Vanderkittens getting together to celebrate our Ali Cat’s 39th birthday. As the evening went on some of the younger felines felt the need to go and show off their talent at throwing darts at another local establishment while the senior felines headed for bed. On Saturday Donna celebrated her birthday and the weather gods let the sun shine long enough so that we could ride some miles to loosen up our legs for the state age graded time trial on Sunday! Today 8 of the VK girls arrived at the time trial to race while Ali and Linda came to support our team. As expected, our Cheetah, Captain Cook, won again by 2 minutes. I was happy to finish as the 3rd fastest women and claim the title as first master’s women finisher. As the season comes to a close with time trials, many of our girls are sad because they were just getting the hang of how bad you are supposed to feel when you have given it your all in a time trial. Tonight we ended our weekend with a fundraiser for the Team Kainer Foundation along with an auction for our team. We had great attendance at the 501 Grill and had a great response to the many items donated for our auction. Thanks to all those who came out to support us and the Team Kainer Foundation and thanks to 501 Grill for hosting the event.

Next stop for some of the VK cats will be the Page Valley Road Race.

BJ aka Podium Cat

It's a SWEEP!!!

2009-07-26T10:09:00.000-07:00

Sunny skies and wind didn’t stop 28 ladies from coming out to test their time trialing skills at the PLT #2 today in Chesapeake, VA. As we drove into the parking lot we all checked out the wind by watching the flag standing straight out letting us all know that we would suffer on the way out but enjoy a nice tailwind all the way home. We also found ourselves racing with temperatures in the 90s, something we had not encountered this year.

7 Vanderkittens were able to make it to the race so felines were seen in every category. Once again our Cheetah, Captain Cook, not only had a 35 second PR but again broke her own record with a time of 52:21. Ali Cat also had a PR with a time of 54:59 to again take the gold in CAT 4. I was able to capture first place in the 40 plus with a time of 56:01 so it was nice to have a sweep 2 weeks in a row.

Joie, Barb, Vanda and Susan were out there giving it their all and by the looks of their faces at the end of the race, had nothing left in their tanks. Way to go cats, we are all proud of each and every one of you for coming.

Laura and I have been doing a little “coaching” to our 007 kitten who was our guest rider today. Although her name remains “TOP SECRET” she did share with us one of her secret training methods which was to put a picture of Laura and I on her bike so that whenever she let her mind wander, she would have a visual of us to keep her on track. We are happy to report that 007 did just fine today.

Next stop for the Vanderkittens will be the PLT #3 next week where I expect to see more records and PRs.

Congratulations to all for a good time and good times on the clock.

BJ aka Podium Cat

TNP Time Trial

2009-07-19T13:56:00.000-07:00

So being from the Beach, we don't have a lot of hills to ride unless you count the Pungo Ferry Bridge. I don't know about you all, but I frickin LOVE hills! Well this past weekend four Va Beach VK's packed up and headed to Richmond to do a 14.6 mile time trial, complete with some nice rollers. It was pretty cool to see speeds ranging from a low of 17 to a high of 37 during the race. Usually on flat tt's my speed doesn't vary by more than 3 or 4 mph so this was a nice change.

The best part of the day was what I affectionately refer to as the "Vanderkitten Sweep". Not only did we win all three women's categories...Podium Cat BJ Samuel took first in the 40+, Ali Cat Ingram took first in the Cat 4, and I won the 1,2,3...but we also posted the three fastest times of the day for the women. Barbie Cat (Barb Viola) rounded out our group, doing the race old style on a road bike without aerobars. She road incredibly strong and I'm thinking there's a tt bike in her future...no pressure Albie :)

Until next time...

Captain Cook

P.S. by Ali Cat: Just call her butter cuz she's on a roll! Sorry (not really) but I had to add my two cents in here because CC humbly left out some significant info above....she once again broke the course record (her own from last year!) at this TT with a time of 36:11!! The streak is going strong!

A DOG GONE GOOD TiME ON THE EASTERN SHORE!

2009-07-10T10:20:00.000-07:00

Our ride started in Onancock on the wharf. What a darling little town...it sits on the Onancock River and is surrounded by beautiful sailboats and fishing boats. The 9 of us kittens saddled up and headed out...BarbR, Summer, BarbV, Susan, Linda, Donna, Maggie, Wendie, and Kelly. Thanks to our Mitten Kitten, as she had planned a wonderful journey for us.

The wildlife was abundant...from deer, to bees buzzzing in Mitten Kitten's head (only to find out it was her cell phone...hee hee), to BiG dogs. Very BiG dogs with very BiG teeth that could run like hell!! The guys at the Tour weren't the only ones getting a sprint in... I've never seen Kelly ride so hard. Way to put on the sprint, Kelly Kat! Being the fast little kittens that we are, we managed to outrun those BiG Bad dogs!

We enjoyed our little breaks throughout the day : )

And the breakaways, too, with Summer leading the way (which resulted in some lost kittens). Not to mention our trip to the jail : ) Bad little kittens!

Truly a lot of history in these little towns on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

Our ride ended with happy, tired, hungry kittens...so, we treated ourselves to a YuMMy lunch at Mallards on the Wharf and celebrated Maggie's birthday!

A happy ending to a FuN day of adventures with the Vanderkittens! Thanks to the citizens of the Eastern Shore who harbored us from unfriendly canines and who found our lost kittens.

And Congrats to Wendie and Kelly for their 1st Tour!

BIKE VIRGINIA

2009-07-05T17:25:00.000-07:00

As much as I hate to miss a time trial, especially a state time trial, I made the right decision to go back to BIKE VA for a 4th time. Bob and I happen to find this adventure a ton of fun and enjoy riding in packs of 2,000 for 5 days. We were joined by Mitten Kitten and Jim, Barbie Cat and Albie, JB and Barb, Blair and Mimi and many strangers who became friends by weeks' end.

This BIKE VA had us starting our trip in Charlottesville, VA traveling to Culpeper and with lots of miles on back roads that happen to be in a great condition for cycling. We had beautiful weather the whole week. As we stayed in hotels that were packed with cyclists, we all felt we were back in college because of the party atmosphere in the towns we visited as well as the poolside parties and early cocktail hours. Our rest stops included visits to vineyards, historical sites and many fire stations all equipped with food and drink for the hordes of hungry and thirsty riders.

Some of our highlights of the trip included seeing riders who we had nicknamed from previous trips. There was Joyce, from Potomac Peddlers, who we nicknamed the “ASSOS GIRL” since she always wore Assos. This animal of a climber was dropping men and women every mile of the way. We met Pinky and her crew from Louisville who even bought a VK jersey from The Bike Stop in Culpeper. The women from The Bike Stop were excited to meet real Vanderkittens and insisted we go over to the shop to meet Stixs the mechanic, who had recently raced at the Amphib Crit in Virginia Beach. We had great meals across the state of Virginia and found everyone so friendly and welcoming. We took in the tunes of English Channel and the Rhondels. We made it to the BIKE VA talent show and if a pole had been available, I think we would have had one of our kittens on stage doing a little pole dancing.

Along with our highlights we also had some interesting happenings to some of us. Mitten Kitten got a little lost in Charlottesville and kindly took a ride with a stranger back to the hotel. She said he looked “nice” so she had no problem climbing in his unmarked van to get herself safely off a busy highway. Mitten Kitten also decided to take in some of the history in Culpeper while some of us put in some serious miles on hills. She found out that her transportation that day had her in the bus many more hours than she was out of the bus but of course she met nice people there too!

The trip was a success for all of us. We climbed around 14,000 feet and completed around 350 miles. We were all safe when it ended. Unfortunately there were 2 very nasty accidents which had riders taken to the hospital. I have heard since that they will be OK.

If you haven’t joined the growing crowd of BIKE VA followers, you need to try it sometime. Next year it will be in Harrisonburg and Waynesboro which means even more climbing. BIKE VA does fill up quickly so don’t be left out. See you next year.

Podium Cat

Extra Small Never Looked So Good!

2009-06-28T09:21:00.000-07:00

Our pintsize Vanderkitten celebrated her 47th birthday last weekend with her feline friends by her side. What started off as just yet another fun night to get together with friends ended up with us cats making sure that Kelly Cat's birthday didn't slip by with races that same weekend. Food, drink and talk were flowing for hours. There was talk of a water volleyball game but all of that went by the wayside when Kelly Cat decided to model her new VK Tri Top. This multi-talented athlete not only has a great future as a triathlete and golfer, but as a model and stand up comic as well. Kelly lights up a room when she enters and makes everyone feel young when she's around. Her energy is abundant and we are all so glad to have her as a part of our team. Our Kelly Kat is definitely not 47 years old, but 47 years young!

Someone's in the Kitchen with Dinah

2009-06-22T11:42:00.000-07:00

Before I get to explaining this title, on behalf of all of us in the VKVB Cycling Club, our wishes for a speedy recovery go out to Maria & Brenna! We hope you both heal up very soon & are back on your bikes in short order! Take care!

Not easy to segue but here goes...

El Cap's on fuego & she’s serving up some smokin’ course records! Yep, our Cook came through once again yesterday setting another record at the Virginia State Championship Time Trial (with an official time of 59:03)!! The fact that she’s breaking so many records is impressive unto itself but to recognize that these records were all set by her last year brings another level of “hot damn” to this accomplishment. WAY TO GO, CHEETAH!! We’re all very proud of you! By setting these PR’s & CR’s, you’re also setting an example of what can be achieved by women in cycling!

I can attest that it was a windy one out there yesterday – seemed as though it was coming from every direction at some point on the course. As has been noted though, it’s an added element that everyone has to endure so at least the playing field is fair….fairly hard, that is, unless it’s a tail wind! A thanks to all who helped to successfully put the race on - most especially whoever marked up the bridge, which undoubtedly saved alot of racers from bike and/or body damage. This was my first time at this event & I look forward to doing it again next year (of course, that’s a lot easier to say now that it’s done). I was happy with my time & got a win in the Cat 4 category.

The day before, Rob and I headed up to Richmond for the Cat 4 State Championship Crit. It wasn’t easy getting up at the crack to make the trip but once I stepped out into the oven (promise, last time I'll do the Dinah reference) from the a/c of the truck, I was all too happy to have the race starting at 8:55 a.m. Turned out to be the most challenging & exciting crits I’ve done so far this year. Right off the bat, one girl broke away & no one gave chase (myself included). In the handful of prior crits I’ve been in, that move would have prompted me to go after her but I thought that there may be some other strategy at play. As we lapped the course a few times with no attempts by her teammates to break & no time being made up between the pack of us and her, I realized quickly that I had erred in my judgment. From then on, I knew if there was any shot at getting closer, I would have to pick up the pace. Slowly (much more slowly than preferred), the time gap being shouted out got smaller but it was still about a 40+ second split. Then, her teammate unfortunately wrecked around the 180 turn. This changed the course of action though by allowing a couple of other girls and me to separate from the pack (as she had been doing a standout job of keeping us all together). We managed to make the break which then led to us trying to catch up. With 5 laps or so to go, there was potential but it wasn’t an easy task by any means. She was obviously a strong rider who knew what she needed to do. I felt like I had worked hard to narrow her lead so I tried to keep pushing & stay focused. At some point along the way, I ended up on my own. Finally, with 2 laps remaining I caught up to her. We traded places until the last lap and then once we rounded that 180 turn for the downhill straightaway to the uphill finish, the final push was on. In the end, I managed to cross the line about a wheel’s length ahead of her & I was all but spent!

Once again, I'm stoked to have been a part of another good weekend of racing. It seems to me that we may not have the quantity that most of us would like out there giving it a go, but based on everyone whom I've met, there's no question about the quality of racers on and off the course!

Won Down, Won To Go Weekend

2009-06-14T10:01:00.000-07:00

Happy to report that our fearless leader, Cheetah, took 1st at both the Amphib Crit & PLT #1 Time Trial this weekend!!

Crit Report: With puddles of rain & showers off and on during our race, we were both rethinking our decision not to wear glasses for this one. In fact, Left Eye Laura rode the last several laps with 50% vision as her right contact lens took a trip around her eye thanks to getting washed out regularly throughout the race. That probably would have done in other racers but El Cap's not one to let anything get the best of her. At some point prior to that, after leading out most of the laps, she and 3 other gals got a decent gap from the rest of us. The break stuck but shortly thereafter a rider started to bridge up to them & that's when I realized (a little slower than I'd like to admit) that I better get up there as well. With us added on, we now had a six pack for the rest of the race. We never managed to get a unified pace line going but we held what we had until the last straightaway sprint to the finish. There was some distance to cover & Cheetah jammed out a nice lead from the rest of us setting up a classic ending. I managed to get 3rd overall, 1st in Cat 4.

The cheering squad was comprised of our official officiator, Donna, who did a smashing job for our team, Podium Cat who was capturing it all on camera like only she can do & do so well & our Manderkittens Bob & Rob.

PLT #1 Report: With fog lifting & humidity sticking around, it was time to see how fast we could stop that clock. Big showing for our team today with racers & supporters combined. On board for the "fun" were Laura, BJ, Barb, Maggie, Vanda, Joie, Summer, Susan & me. Ronna was planning to race but was under the weather - she, along with Mitten Kitten & Smitten Kitten gave us all a boost with their cheers (quite a feat for Ronna since she lost her voice earlier in the week)! The Manderkittens, always unwavering in their support as well, did us proud!

The start was a tease with a tailwind to get us all going at a nice clip right off the bat...of course, we knew what that meant for the finish - you gotta pay to play! It's all relative, however, and today was no exception. That is to say, the wind wasn't too bad & the humidity was manageable. The course was in good shape except for one area that still had some standing water but that didn't interfere with the race. With a course record at the PLT #3 last year, El Cap had one primary thing on her mind...besting her own time. So in the illustrious words of Ron Popeil, she had a "Set it and forget it" day....new record: 52:56, old record: 53:07. Podium Cat had a mix up on her start time that had it not happened would have put her in 1st by a sizable spread for Women 40+ - she took it in stride like the accomplished competitor that she is though. I snagged 2nd overall, 1st in Cat 4 with a better time than my last one in '07. Summer (aka El Gato), in her first time trial, did a stellar job with a time around 1:03. When asked what she thought after the finish, she said she loved it with a look that spoke volumes. Glad to have another Cat 4 in our crew who's sure to make her mark with each coming race! Unfortunately in trying to get this blog posted quickly, I'm not exactly sure about the times made by the rest of our ladies but I think everyone was generally happy with her results - as we all would agree, getting out there & doing it is a reward in itself! One thing I do know without a doubt is that VKVB came together once again & had a great time enjoying each other's company as well as all of the those who participated along with us!

CONGRATULATIONS to all with an extra BIG UPS & MAD PROPS to Cheetah who exemplified how fitting her name is by smokin' the competition this weekend!

Thankful for another memorable weekend of racing! Thankful to be a part of such a great group of gals!!

Ali Cat

(Hopefully we can update with a group pic here soon)

VK Represents at Breezy Point Tri (1000M Swim, 20K bike, 5K run)

2009-06-06T06:06:00.000-07:00

Ok...where to begin with Breezy Point? So much to tell, but I will start with I was "tri-ing" at Breezy Point to say the least. I must agree with Claudia in that I was kicking myself for signing up again this year, I just plain old wasn't feeling it. To make matters worse, I was not very healthy that week and knew it would effect my performance...yet I kept "tri-ing". Of course I had nothing ready and had to rush to get everything into my SUV an hour before leaving, such a bad kittie. As usual had to keep going to the litter box as my nerves kicked in. Weather was ideal at 73 degrees and mostly overcast skies. Oh what a great breeze too...hmmm, not such a good breeze later during the bike, duhhh! I was so excited to see all the other kitties almost immediately Kelly Kat was walking her bike as I drove by and then I had the pleasure of racking my bike next to both Donna and Claudia. After sharing my asthma inhaler (no names) LOL, it was time to figure out how to get all this kitty in a rubber suit that could fit a 12 year old. Since all us kittens were over 40, we got to enter the water together, yeah time to get my a** kicked by all my teammates whom happen to be great swimmers. Although everyone had great times, gotta give kudos to Claudia who was a beast in the swim. I didn't think cat's could swim like that...hiss. Kelly Kat had a great swim as well and was out like a cheetah. Donna was next and I was not far behind. At this point I was delirious from the swim. Not sure if it was all the kicks to the head by all those feral cats in pink caps or my usual swim panic mode. Nonetheless, I was astounded, yet extremely happy for all my teammates when I never saw them again on the bike. That meant they were all rocking the bike, because I never caught any of them. However, since Donna and I were closer in the swim we did play a little cat & mouse on the bike portion. I give all the kitties a high five on their great bike times, because that headwind was relentless for 3/4 of the bike portion and the potholes were not our friends. Although some of us had better bike times, gotta give Kelly Kat Kudos for a very impressive and highly improved bike. Vanderkitten has pushed her to a new level!!! Saw Donna again racking our bikes to move to the dreaded 5K run...uggghh! At this point I knew it was all down hill for me. Claudia, Kelly and then Donna tearing up the divot hole ridden course in that order. Unfortunately, for me this was my worse event by far. I had nothing left at this point and just plain old had an off day, yet I kept "tri-ing" and finished nonetheless. Big Shout out to Donna for placing second in her age group in her very first tri with a total time of 1:47:37!!! High Five to Claudia for a great overall race and only being 42 seconds away from placing with a time of 1:29:25 a new PR!!! Big ups to Kelly Kat for a phenomenally improved bike and a new PR (by 8 whole minutes) with a time of 1:42:37!!! Honorable mention to Peyton our future Vanderkitten and Kelly Kats kitten for barely missing 3rd place in her AG with a time of 1:33:46!!! As for me, no PR this year, but was humbled into knowing what I have to do to not be in that position again. My time was 1:58:36 because I kept tri-ing!!!

Vanda aka "Zipp Cat"

Time to Tri - Breezy Point

2009-06-05T07:24:00.000-07:00

True to its name, the Breezy Point Triathlon proved to be a breezy day; nonetheless, sunny and a beautiful day to race. Leading up to the weekend I was feeling very nonchalant about the race and almost just bagged it and didn’t compete. I just wasn’t into doing it. I find myself in this conundrum often. I sign up for these events and then I kick myself the whole time prior to the event; the after effect is a totally different emotion, more on that later. As well, a good friend of mine blew me off and didn’t wish me luck on the race so I was feeling a bit dejected.

I started preparations the night before, loaded up my car and made sure to eat a decent dinner not too carb loaded but reasonably balanced. Fell asleep early on the couch and forgot to finish a few things that I tossed and turned about all night and kept waking up reminding myself to do in the morning. Amazingly I didn’t forget.

Upon arriving at the race I saw Kelly cat and her crew walking in. I parked at quite possibly the furthest spot away that I could not realizing parking was abundant still at this point so I had a nice long walk to transition. I had pictured in my head how I should logically set up my transition area and was able to find ample room to do so near my fellow kitty Vanda.

The start was rapidly approaching and we were being gently (note the sarcasm there) directed towards the swim platform so I moseyed on over there with the rest of the pink caps and rambled on with different people along the way. I was at least happy that my cap was pink. Upon looking at my HR monitor I noticed my HR already at 92?!?! Surely I wasn’t excited about this. Finally it came time to get in the water; ugh. I followed Manderkitten Ryan’s advice and went right to the front and wound up chit chatting with Karen (Ryan and Julie’s friend) and also my pharmacist. Small world. The gun went off and we started swimming. I felt like everyone else with pink was ahead of me – what in the world, this is my best event!?! So I thought ok well just settle in and get in your groove, which I did. I didn’t really pay attention after that to anyone else, just tried to spot the buoys and keep swimming. Did my fair share of kicking other people and getting kicked and clawed throughout the beginning as well as swallowing that lovely Naval Base water – YUK, and then before I knew it I was rounding the last buoy back towards the ramp and didn’t see too many other pinks in front of me. Turns out I was 4th out of the water among my AG! WOW! Great advice – thanks Ryan!

One event down two to go is what I told myself. Trying to keep Cali cats advice in my head that “THIS IS FUN” also kept me from not cursing left and right at the wind. I’m having fun, I’m having fun I chanted – now I just need my ruby red bike shoes to transport me to the finish line! I heard a friend cheer for me as I moved through transition and was reasonably pleased with my T1. Moving on to the bike, and as promised the first few miles into the wind were tough but I just hunkered down into aero position and kept pedaling using my knowledge of downshifting from my friend Erika to keep my cadence up and not poop out my legs. The bike was relatively smooth and I was please with my overall 18.5 pace. Which I absolutely attribute to being a Vanderkitten and making me stronger!

Off the bike and onto the run; my least favorite of the three. I truly hadn’t done much running since Shamrock and was feeling very heavy legged. Decided walking through both water stops was just going to work best and tried to not keep reminding myself how far I had left. Did I mention that I’ve not liked running lately? I got mad when the second girl wearing a 300 number passed me so I sped up at the end. I knew I was doing pretty well because I had not seen too many 300 people pass me and I had passed a ton of people from heats before me on both the bike and run. Coming down the tarmac towards the finish I could see my little girl and hear her screaming GO MOMMY! Sweet – awesome inspiration, despite the wind desperately trying to push me backwards! I finished as strong as I could and then when I finally remembered to stop my watch at the end of the running shoot it read somewhere around 1:29. I thought no way! Turns out it was my fastest 5K ever – funny how that works sometimes.

Low and behold, I met all the goals I set for myself (despite not wanting to really do the race I did set goals) and then the enthusiasm and adrenaline kicked in. I was pumped at my time. I was frustrated that I didn’t push myself harder having come so close to placing; needless to say it was a mix of emotions I haven’t felt before. What I learned is that I have to try to find that enthusiasm before the race and maybe it might improve my overall performance just that much more. As well, next time I will warm up on just the bike as I did not warm up at all…bad kitty.

I am really proud of all the other Vanderkittens who represented our club so well that day, and once again humbled to part of such an Ass Kicking group of women!

Kick Ass until next time Ladies!
Claudia